Affairs and A Single Mom
by eemah
Summary: Big city girl Brooke Davis meets small Country boy Lucas Scott. She falls in love, but it all seems to come crashing down once she finds out the love of her life is married. To make things even worse she finds out she is pregnant. Eventually BL. Some OB/L
1. Chapter 1

_**Title:****Affairs and A Single Mom**_

**Full Summary:** **Basically this is a story about what would it have been like if Brooke Davis never went to Tree Hill. Instead of Lucas and Brooke meeting in Junior year of High school. They meet at a bar that Brooke works at in New York. Some things do with go with One Tree Hill. Others don't. Just use your imagination.**

Brooke Davis was a twenty two year old bombshell. In high school she was always known as the popular girl. Everybody loved her, especially the boys. So it was no surprise that she had turned out to be a waitress at one of the hottest restaurants in town. She lived in Queens, New York.

"Hey, Brooke. There is a guy over there that wants you to wait on him." Her friend Rachel screamed over all of the chaos in the bar. The redhead was chewing her gum and giving the bartender an order.

Nodding her head, she put on her happy face. Her hair was in a high ponytail. She was wearing her waitress uniform, and also chewing her gum just like her friend. Walking over to the table she saw that it was in fact a guy and he was cute. He had blond hair which meant that he probably had blue eyes. "Hi, I'm Brooke and I will be your waitress for tonight. Can I start with something to drink?"

"Sure, maybe tonight after your shift." The blond put on a smile as he said it.

Brooke gave a weird laugh and bit her bottom lip. "You know I am not that easy." She stated as she really began to look at the guy. He was taller then her, had on name brand outfits, and a pair of boots. She knew that wherever he was from, it sure wasn't here.

"I didn't think that you were." He gave her a flirty look and lifted up one of his eyebrows.

"Do you want a drink?" She asked again trying not to look into his lusty eyes. Being a waitress she knew that as soon as you looked into a guys eyes you could fall for him in a second.

"A martini would be nice." He answered looking at her up and down. He always scanned girls bodies before he flirted with them. There was something about this girl though, that was different from all the rest in the restaurant. There were plenty of beautiful women in the place.

"I'll be right back." She left and went back over to the bar. "Mike, I need a martini." She told the bartender. Then she looked back over at the man who was sitting at a table by himself. For a moment it felt as though they were the only two people in the place. Then she came back to reality. The loud music, the smell of smoke, the noise of all of the drunk people, and of course all of her co-workers who were running around like crazy.

"Here you go." Mike who was in his mid-thirties, with a full head of hair, and a very nice personality. He was also the owner of the bar and treated all of his waitresses with class and respect. He kind of ran his restaurant/bar like a family.

"Thanks." Brooke replied as she took the martini and put it on a tray. Then she walked back over to the table and handed the guy his drink.

As soon as he saw her start walking away he had to do something to step up his game. "I won't leave." He kind of called after her.

She turned around and gave him a look of disbelief. "I don't get off for another two hours." She yelled above all of the commotion. "Stay if you want." Those were her usual lines when guys said those words. All the guys that have said it never have actually stayed.

_**1 Hour and 45 Minutes Later:**_

Brooke was cleaning off the counter of the bar. She glanced up at the seat that the guy was still sitting in from earlier. She couldn't believe that he was actually staying. She thought for sure that he would have left by now. As soon as he looked up at hers she moved her eyes back down to the counter. Until she heard the voice of her friend.

"That guy has been staring at you all night. What's the deal?" The redhead asked glancing at the guy.

"There is no deal. He just sowed up here and said he wants to hang out after my shift." Brooke replied.

"If there is nothing going on then you wouldn't mind if I tried to hook up with him, would you?"

"Yes, I would mind. I am kind of thinking about talking to this one. He seems like a nice guy."

"The last time you said that, the guy that you picked was a complete stalker. You still have a restraining order on that dude. What was his name again?"

"Henry, and trust me I know how to fight now. If this guy is a stalker he is in for a world of hurt." She told her sarcastically.

"Hey, girls. Can you guys close up tonight? I have to run some errands for the bar." Mike asked walking up to the ladies from behind.

The two girls looked at each other and then nodded their heads at the same time.

Giving a nod back he practically ran out of the bar.

"He's going to get laid." Rachel told her friend as she went to the back of the bar and began to clean the glasses.

"He might not be the only one tonight." Brooke replied feeling kind of horny all of a sudden. She looked back over to the guy and then looked at her friend. "Do you think you can close up alone? I think I want to check this guy out."

"Of course. It has been so long since you had some fun."

"Thanks Rach. I owe you one." She patted her friend on the back as she walked into the back room. She took her purse out of her little locker and then went back out to where all of the tables are. "I can't believe that you stayed."

"Well, you really didn't get to know me then. When I want something I go for it." He told her tapping his foot on the ground.

"Let me guess, you want me." She giggled a little at the fact that she has heard that line so many times. The scary thing about it was that for some odd reason she believed it when he said it. "What do you say, we go back to my place? Just to get to know each other better?"

"Of course, but first can I get a last name?"

"Only if I can get a name from you first."

Standing up the young man put out his hand, "My name is Lucas Scott."

"Davis. Brooke Davis." She replied with a smile as she shook his hand.

"Has anybody ever told you that you have the most adorable smile? " He asked as he followed her out of the door and into the street. They were walking along the concrete in the middle of the night. Sounds of sirens, the brightness of lights, and the smell of city life was all around them.

"Believe it or not I always get that compliment. You are probably referring to my dimples." She pointed out.

"Yeah, they are amazing. I kind of want to take a picture of you." He said sticking his hands into his Ed Hardy jeans.

"Are you a photographer?" She asked as she walked the street. She was kind of flirting a little as they walked to her apartment. The guy was cute and so far it seemed as though he had a fantastic personality.

"No, I am a writer. I actually have a book out." His voice was filled with pride as he said it. He always was proud about his writing. Though he didn't like telling people that he was an author because they usually know his book, and make the connection that he is financially stable.

"I think I have heard about it before. You said your name was Lucas Scott, right?"

He nodded his head yes.

"I knew I have heard your name before. The redhead in the bar. Her name is Rachel, and she has read your whole book. She used to bring it to work with her." Brooke tried to remember the title.

"Have you read it?" He asked sneaking a little glance at her here and there. Her beauty was breathtaking. Just the thought of her was making him sweat.

"Actually no. I heard that it was really good though. I am not a real reader." She felt dumb for what she said, but the truth was she wasn't a reader. The only reason she got through high school without doing all the reading is because she was beautiful, and the geeks were eager to do her work for her.

"Wow, well at least you are honest." He laughed as he looked at her.

She stopped and for the first time their eyes met. She felt as though all of the oxygen was coming out of her body, her mind turned into complete mush, and her heart was telling her to go for it. "Where here." She said weakly kind of moving her body toward her apartment, but was careful enough not to take her eyes off of his.

"I guess we should go in." The heat between both of their bodies were very apparent. It seemed as though they had known each other for years. Instead of only for a couple of hours.

Brooke made the first move as she unlocked the door to her apartment building. She could feel his body touching hers from behind as she was doing it. His breath breathing on the skin of her neck. She opened it and usually would go straight to her mailbox to see what bills she had to pay, but today was different. She walked up the stairs to her second floor apartment. Going to the door that read 2C. She unlocked the apartment door. "Please, excuse the mess."

Lucas walked into the small apartment and looked around. There was nothing really messy about the apartment. Just a bit of unfolded clothes, some dirty dishes in the sink, and a little dirt. "It's okay. Believe it or not I was once like this."

"Really? You have been single, in New York before?" She joked as she picked up the clothes from off of the couch and running into the hallway and throwing her clothes into a dirty basket.

"No, I have lived in North Carolina my whole life. In a small town called Tree Hill." He told her while sitting down on the couch.

"I have never heard of it." She said coming out of the hallway which led to the living room where Lucas was sitting. "Do you mind if I change out of my work clothes?"

"No not at all." He said looking behind him. He watched as she disappeared into the hallway again. "Do you mind if I get something to drink out of the refrigerator?"

"No, help yourself." She screamed from out of her room.

"Anyway, my mother had me when she was really young. So I wasn't always raised with money." He continued to tell her as he took out a beer from the refrigerator.

Brooke came out of the hallway and into the living room. There was a window that could let you see the living room from the kitchen. "Where was your dad?"

Lucas looked into the living room and almost dropped his beer. The girl that he had just met and already thought was beautiful, had just turned even more beautiful, and he thought that it wasn't possible. She was wearing a strapless red dress that fit her every curve, bright red lip stick, her long brown hair was flowing down her back, and she had on bright red opened toed heels. "Umm...He had gotten another girl pregnant at the same time, and married her. They had my brother Nathan." He said with no kind of emotion in his voice. "You look stunning."

"Thank you." She smiled as she went into her kitchen. "How about we get some wine, instead of beer?" She asked as she opened the cabinet that was on the top of the refrigerator. She took out some red wine and glasses.

He put the beer down on the counter and followed her back to the living room. Sitting next to her on the couch and taking a glass of wine he began to calm down.

"I feel so bad that your dad was such an ass." Brooke said after pouring the wine in the cups. She put her hand on his leg.

"It's okay. I kind of got over it. I always had my Uncle Keith. Who just so happens to be my fathers brother. I just felt bad for my mom. She never really stopped loving him." Thinking about his mother and childhood made him gulp down the glass. "What about your upbringing?"

"My father is Charles Davis." She admitted picking up her glass.

"Charles Davis! He is one of the biggest business tycoons out there. He has to be one of the richest men that I know of." He said looking at the young woman.

"I know. You don't know how many times I get that reaction once people find out who my father is." She took a sip of the wine. "But the truth is he was never a real father. He was never there for me and my mother just traveled around the world with him. Most people don't even know that I am alive."

"I know that this might sound mean, but if your father is that rich. Then why are you living in this tiny, cramped apartment?"

"I emancipated myself. Which meant that I no longer am accountable for the money that he makes." She took another sip of wine. "I would have much rather had your childhood then mine. At least your mom cared and was there for you."

"I guess." He replied as he shrugged his shoulders and began to pour himself more wine. "So how old are you?" He asked looking at wine glass. He had not meant to pour as much as he did.

"Twenty two, how about you?"

"Same age." He was just trying to make sure that if they did do anything tonight it was legal. He knew as soon as he walked into that bar, that she was the one. "You know I haven't talked to that many people about my childhood. Not even my editor for my story knows about my dad. My real dad anyway. I tell people that my Uncle Keith is my dad."

"I don't usually tell people who my real parents are either. I lie and tell them that they died in a car accident."

Lucas couldn't help but laugh. "I am sorry, it isn't funny because if they ever did die then it would be sad. But people actually believe that your parents died? And how would you be able to fend for yourself of that were to happen? They would put you in an orphanage or something."

"People will believe anything these days." She said looking at him.

"Is that supposed to mean that you are lying to me?" He asked lifting his eyebrow.

"No, but how am I supposed to believe you?" She asked lifting her eyebrow as well. "How do I know that you aren't trying to pull one over on me?"

"What do you want to know about me?" He asked feeling at ease.

"Are you into me?" She asked setting her glass on the coffee table. Then she seductively took his glass from his hand and placed his glass opposite of hers.

"Of course. Or else I wouldn't be here." He could feel the temperature in the room get hot. All of a sudden it felt as though the heat was on in the apartment.

She stood up and put out her hand.

He stood up as well and put his hand inside of hers.

She walked into the hallway and opened the door to the first door on the right. She went over to her dresser and turned on a lamp. It made a dim light in the room. She pushed him onto her King sized bed, and stepped out of her high heels.

He stared at her. Her toes which were perfectly manicured and painted white, her legs that looked smooth and sexy, her thighs which he could not wait to feel, her fit stomach, her voluptuous breasts, and of course her face. The brown eyes that could make him forget his name once he looked into them. Her cute little nose that he noticed scrunched up when she was sad. Her dimples that she didn't like, but he thought made her stand out. He even loved her raspy voice. There was just something so unique about it.

"One last question. Is this a one night stand?"

"I hope not." He said feeling his body get hormonal. He knew that if she didn't do something soon. Then he would be embarrassed.

"Good answer." She said pushing him back and climbing on top of him. Kissing his neck letting his hands begin to touch all over her body. She giggled as she felt her whole body turn upside down. So now he was on top and she was on the bottom. This was an unusual position for her. Considering she was always the one to dominate in the bedroom, but she could get used to it. Looking into his eyes she could tell that there was something special between them, and this wasn't going to be a one night fling.

"Do you have a condom?" He asked as he began to search his pockets. For the first time in a long time, he was unprepared.

"Yeah, hold on." She watched as he got off of her and then went into the bathroom. She found the box in the cabinet right next to her razar. Then jogged back into the room. "Here." She said handing him one.

He took it happily and then scanned her up and down. "Do you need help with your dress?"

She nodded her head yes as she turned her back to him and lifted up her hair.

His hands basically attached themselves to her dress as he un-zipped it. The skin of his fingers touching her smooth back. Until it stopped right above her butt.

She wiggled her way out of her dress. Once it dropped to the floor and was on her ankles. She stepped out of it. Now showing herself in nothing but a black laced bra and underwear. She smiled as she saw his facial expression. She loved that she could make guys forget their names when they looked at her almost naked. Making her way back on top of him she looked into his blue eyes.

Using his hands he grabbed on to her waist and flipped her over. Her leg flew up in the air and around his back. His body couldn't take it anymore as he kissed her on the lips passionately.

His lips felt so right on hers. His body felt so right against hers. He stopped kissing her and took off his shirt. Revealing his very fit and luscious body. Once he came back down he began to baby kiss her from the neck down. Stopping once he got to her tattoo that was located right above her vagina. "Do you like it?" She asked.

"It's really sexy." He said taking off her underwear and his jeans.

Once he came back to her face she looked at him in a flirty kind of way. "You just say all the right things, don't you?" As he nodded his head she kissed him on the lips. They began to rock back and forth as their lips became more and more attached.

At the end of the night their souls had met and their lives had changed forever.

* * *

_**The Next Day:**_

Brooke yawned as she opened her eyes. Everything was kind of blurry and she had no clue what had happened the night before for a moment. Once she got her eye sight right and her memory back she smiled. She had not had a night like that in a long time. Sitting up in bed she looked around for the man she had just met the night before. For a second she thought maybe he had left, but then she smelled bacon and knew that he was there. Stepping out of her bed she put on her robe and walked into the kitchen.

"How are you this morning, sleepy head?" He asked as soon as he heard footsteps.

"Great, I haven't felt this good since. Well, since I emancipated my parents." She exclaimed as she looked at him cooking.

"What do you have planned for today?"

"Usually I would have to be in school in an hour, I'd go work my shift as store manager for Macy's, and then I'd go to the bar for my second job. But I think I might skip classes today."

"No, you should go. I have to go and do a book signing in a couple, anyway. It might take a while so I'll meet you back at the bar when I'm finished. Maybe we can come back here and watch a movie or something."

Brooke laughed as she looked at him. "You are so cute." She slapped his butt. "This is New York! Nobody stays inside their house for a movie night. It is all about partying, and having fun around here."

"I am not the biggest party animal. I kind of like staying in and watching movies." He admitted placing the cooked bacon on a glass plate. "Nothing really happens in Tree Hill. Just a whole bunch of drama."

"Well, you have just met a fun, loving city girl. You are not in Tree Hill anymore." She joked as she took the cooked bacon out of the small kitchen and placed it on the coffee table in the living room. Then she went into the hallway closet and pulled out dinner trays and sat them up in front of the couch.

"I think that I can get used to this." He laughed as he looked at her. Back at home he usually just stayed inside and wrote his stories. The only time he ever actually went out was to play basketball at the River Court or to go somewhere with Peyton.

"You know what, I think I might have to take this to go. I should really get into the shower and get ready for my classes." She told him grabbing a piece of bacon from the plate.

"That's fine. Go get in the shower. I'll be here when you get out." He said shooing her off.

She smiled and went back into the hallway and the first room to the left. Which was the bathroom.

As soon as he heard the shower running he quietly but quickly went into the bedroom and took out his cell phone. It had been vibrating all night and he already knew who it was. He looked at the missed calls and they all read: 'Peyton'. He saw that he had a voice-mail. Calling the number and typing in his password his heart began to race. He hoped to God that Brooke would not walk in through that door.

"Luke, babe this is Peyt. I just wanted to call to tell you that I love you. I know that when you left we had a heated argument. We both probably said somethings that we didn't mean. I know that you don't want a divorce. We have been married for three years and have been dating since our Junior year in high school. Everybody knows that there is nothing like the love that we have for one another. So just please come home as soon as you can from New York, and let's talk this out. I really do love you and I can't imagine anybody else as my husband. You are the only one for me. Bye."

He shut his phone. He loved Peyton, he really did. But their relationship was boring. The fun that he had with Brooke was the most fun he had had ever with Peyton. Everyday it was the same routine and it was as if his life was nothing, but a big schedule. He could not live the rest of his life like that. He needed some type of adventure. He needed somebody who wasn't just like him. He needed somebody like Brooke.

Putting his phone back in his coat pocket he went over to the bathroom door. "I have to go and get ready for the book signing. So I will see you at the bar later on tonight." He yelled over the running water of the shower.

"Okay, see you then. And Luke!" She screamed and waited until he gave her a response.

"Yes!"

"Wear something sexy." She said seductively.

He laughed and then left the apartment.

_**Later on That Night:**_

The brunette walked into the bar with a new smile on her face. Instead of the fake one that she had learned to master. This one was truly a sign of pure happiness.

"You so got laid last night." Rachel said out loud as soon as she saw the look on her friends face.

"Shhh...." She said loudly as she grabbed her friend and took her into the back room where all of the employees had their lockers and own restroom area.

"Was it the hot guy from yesterday?"

She nodded her head yes and put a goofy smile on her face. "It was so wonderful. It was better then anything that I have ever felt before. I think that I saw fire works."

"Sounds like something serious. Especially since you just met the guy yesterday."

"I know that this is going to sound crazy, but it feels as though we have known each other for our whole lives. It is like he completes me. You know? He is so conservative, he likes to read, and he actually enjoys staying inside of the house. He is the total opposite of me."

"What do you really know about this guy? I mean really." The redhead was not going to believe that she was in love with a guy she only met yesterday. She knew her friend to well, something was up with this guy.

"I know that he is a famous author of a book, his last name is Scott, he is the same age as me, when he smiles his eyes bright up, he lives in Tree Hill which is in North Carolina, and he likes to stay in."

"Now, if only you were able to do that when it came to school." She laughed.

"I know, then maybe I would have been able to pass my English finals." She joked back.

"I still don't know about this guy though. He seems to perfect."

"Can you trust me for once? This guy is the real deal. All I have to do is get him to stay in New York. Or maybe I will be able to go back to North Carolina with him. I really do think that this guy is the one. I really do like him."

"Whatever, but don't get mad when I tell you, 'I told you so'." Rachel told her with a pat on the back.

Brooke rolled her eyes and went back outside. Maybe the guy wasn't perfect, but she still had a weird feeling inside of her that they did mean something to one another. Something special.


	2. The Choice Between Love and An UnBorn C

**_Chapter 2: The Choice Between Love and An Un-born Child_**

Brooke nuzzled Lucas' neck as they sat on the couch and watched 'Hell Boy'. It wasn't her first choice to watch, but it made Lucas happy so she was fine with it. It had been two weeks since this wonderful man had entered her life. It was funny because this guy had her doing things that she had never done before. Like staying in at night and reading books. She never thought she was think in a million years that being so conservative would be fun.

"Why don't we go out tonight? Do something fun?" He asked out of the blue. The movie was nice, but ever since he had been introduced to the face paced city life, he had become addicted. Nights in the city were way more funnier and wilder then in Tree Hill. Especially if he was with Brooke Davis.

"Sure, I have the best place that we can go." She jumped up and turned off the movie. Then went into her room and got both of their coats. It was mid-November and the New York winters were pretty harsh.

Awaiting his, he guesses 'girlfriends' arrival he turned off the t.v. and the DVD player. When all of a sudden he felt his phone vibrate. Causing him to jump a little. He looked at the screen and pressed the 'ignore' button.

"Who was that?" The brunette asked as she reappeared into the living room and handed him his coat.

"It was my publisher. She was reminding me that I have another book signing out in Brooklyn tomorrow." He lied as he put his phone in his pants pocket. And graciously put on his coat. "So where are we going tonight?"

"It's a surprise." She stated getting a long piece of fabric from off of her couch. "As soon as we hit Main Street, I am going to put this over your eyes. Then we are going to go to this place and I know that you are going to love it."

"Wherever you take me I am going to love it. Just because you took me there." He said half serious and half playful. Taking her hand the two left the apartment and went downstairs into the lobby.

Brooke looked at her mailbox and then glanced at her 'whatever he was to her'. She had not checked her mail since the two of them met. She was kind of embarrassed to go in there and see all of the bills that she had to pay, and had no way of paying them. As soon as the cold November air hit her face it began to turn red. She hated having such pale skin sometimes.

Noticing that she was cold he put his arm around her to warm her. "Why don't you get a scarf?" He asked looking at her in her brown beautiful eyes. Those were like a lethal weapon. They could make a guy do anything.

"I don't usually buy clothes. I make all of my things." She responded looking straight ahead and not into his eyes. "I just haven't gotten around to making a scarf yet."

"Why don't I go into this store and buy you one?" He asked stopping on front of a stand that had hats, scarfs, and gloves for sale.

"Thanks, but I couldn't ask you to do that for me." She had always been raised not to take anything from anybody. Her whole life she had always fended for herself and she was not used to being able to depend on anybody but herself.

"No, really. I insist. There is no way that I am going to let you out here in the cold all Winter long. You can catch a cold or something." He said taking his wallet out of his back pants pocket. Which just so happened to be the same pocket his phone was in. Without even realizing it his phone had dropped out.

"Fine, but I'll pay you back."

"I won't take your money. Think of it as an early Christmas gift." He suggested as he went over to the stand and asked for a couple of scarfs.

Without his arms over her, the wind was hitting her body all over. She shivered as she looked down to the floor. Noticing that his cell phone must have fell out his pocket. She hurried and picked it up before somebody else did. In her neighborhood things got stolen quickly. She was holding it for a couple of seconds when it began to vibrate. She looked at it and it read 'Peyton'? Something clocked off in the back of her mind. That maybe her getting involved with this guy, and not asking him about his previous relationships was a bad thing.

Coming over with a warm smile he handed her a black scarf. "Here, and I brought you more just in case you lost that one or something." He handed her a bag of scarfs.

"Thanks." She said absentmindedly. She was going to confront him right then and there, but decided to wait. Because before she started this whole thing. She wanted to give him his surprise first. They walked hand and hand for a couple of more blocks. Then Brooke stopped them and put on the long piece of fabric.

"Are you going to push me in front of a car or something like that?" He asked getting kind of worried about the whole thing.

"Don't you trust me? I mean we have known each other for two weeks now, and we have also had sex countless times. Do you really think that I would push you in front of a car?"

"I don't know. I thought my mom was honest, and I knew her my whole life." He responded. Now he wanted to back out of the whole thing.

"Your mom had good reason to lie to you. I mean if she hadn't then you would have grown up thinking that your biological father didn't want you. If I was her I would have told you your Uncle Keith was your biological father as well."

Knowing that she made some sense he let her put the fabric over his eyes. Then let her lead the way to wherever the two of them were going. The closer and closer they got. The more he began to wonder where they were going. With this girl anything was possible. They could be going to China for all he knew. He heard a ding sound as they entered some type of store. Then he sat down on a very comfortable seat.

"Okay, babe. Take off the blind fold." She said excitedly.

He did just as he was told and was shocked to find himself sitting in a tattoo shop. "What the hell?"

"Okay, remember when you said that you thought my tattoo was sexy. Well, I thought about it and you look like you need a little something on that sexy body of yours. So I have arranged for you to get a similar tattoo as me."

The Lucas Scott two weeks ago would have said hell no and walked right out of the tattoo shop. But the Lucas Scott now was all ready for a big change like this. He had changed and he thought it was for the better. "Go for it."

Brooke screamed in delight as she stuck her fist up in the air. "Hey, Skull try to go easy on my baby here." She said rubbing her fingers through his blond hair.

"Don't worry Brookie. He is going to be fine with me." The big, biker dude, with tattoos all over him said. As he polished up a needle. "Just make sure he don't scream like a baby. That drives some of my other customers away."

"I got you." She said taking his hands.

_**2 Hours Later Back at Brooke's Apartment:**_

"I can't believe that I did that." Lucas laughed through all of the pain of his new tattoo. His Sean Jean Shirt was rolled up on his right arm as he looked at his new tattoo that was on his shoulder.

"You will be surprised at the things that I can make guys do." She told him looking at his tattoo. Feeling like the time was right to bring up the 'phone incident', so she went over to her jacket and pulled out his Sprint LG gray phone. "So do you like me?" She asked slyly as she kept the phone behind her back.

"I can say that I do. Actually I like you a lot." He felt like something weird was in the air. He had a feeling that it was something big and he had an idea of what it was. Standing up he used his not sore shoulder to lift up her chin. "I know this is kind of soon to say, but I think that I might love you."

All of a sudden her whole body felt as though it was weak. The words that she had been thinking of since the first day that they met. She had finally heard them and she could tell in his voice that he was telling the truth. She had heard fake 'I love yous' so many times that she could tell the difference between the real ones and the fake ones.

"Every time that I am away from you. I want to be near you and I can't stop thinking about you. Every single time that we talk on the phone we can both not be saying one thing and I know exactly what you are thinking. You have made me come out of my shell in two weeks. While my mom has been trying to get me out of my shell for my whole life. When I am with you I feel like I am floating on a cloud."

"I feel the same way." She said emotionally with a tear in her eye. "I know this sounds stupid, but I feel like I have known you my whole life."

"Nothing that you ever say can be stupid to me." The blond replied as he wiped the tear from her cheek with his thumb. Looking into her brown eyes, he slowly and lightly kissed her on her lips.

She felt as his hands slowly caressed the lower part of her body. Every part of her body just wanted to jump inside of the bed with him, but she had to keep her mind on 'Peyton'. She squeezed the small phone in her hand tightly and reluctantly pulled away from him.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked with a look of disappointment. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, everything you said was beautiful and I truly do feel the same way. But I think we need to talk." Trying to find some strength to start the conversation she took a breath.

"Okay, then I don't get what happened. Why did you pull away?"

"Who's Peyton?" She just came out and asked.

"How do you know...?"

"When you went to go buy me my scarfs, your phone dropped. She was calling you." Brooke said opening her hand, revealing the phone to him. "I guess it was stupid of me to run in bed with you. I should have asked you about the girls before me."

"Brooke, I can explain." He began but was interrupted when she stood up and lifted up her hand.

"No need. Your facial expression said it all."

"No, please. Just wait. I need to explain this to you." He walked after her as she ran into her bedroom. "Brooke! I need you to believe me when I say that I do not love Peyton." He yelled from behind the door.

Opening the door, she glared at him. Leaning her body to the left of the threshold. "You have five minutes."

"Back in Tree Hill there are only a certain amount of people that go there. The only two actually attractive people there were Peyton and Haley. But Haley is my best friend. I guess I never really loved her. She was more like a best friend. We like all of the same music, we both have blond hair, and she is just as dull as I am."

"Where is this going?" She asked feeling weird hearing him talk about another girl.

"She loved me though. Boy, does she love me. Everybody thought that we were in love. She was the only one that actually showed how much she did love me. So we got married."

"You were married to this girl!" Brooke screamed as soon as she heard the words 'marriage'.

"Well, technically we are still married. Legally we are married. But in my soul I never really loved her as much as she loved me. My mom could even tell that and during our wedding day she told me not to go through with it. My heart was never all the way into her."

"Get out! Get the hell out of my apartment!" She screamed going back into her room and slamming the door.

Lucas closed his eyes. As he heard her scream. His heart was beginning to hurt from all of the pain that he could hear in her voice. "Brooke, I love you. I don't love her!"

"How can I be sure that is the truth, Lucas? You have been lying to me since day one. How can I know that everything that you have said isn't a lie?" She cried in anger.

"I have never lied to you. I have withheld information from you, but I have never lied!" He told her. "Peyton and I are getting a divorce. I was thinking about moving in here with you. Maybe begin to get serious."

She wanted to believe him. She really did, but there had been so much lying her past. So many guys had promised her things and never come through with it. "How can I be sure that you are not just trying to get into my pants again?" Her voice turned into almost a whisper.

"I guess you'll just have to trust me and see. Just like you told me earlier today in the tattoo shop." He wanted this relationship to work just as much as she did. There was something so different about her. And even though he had rushed the 'I love you' a bit. He really did mean every word that he had said.

Opening up the door she looked back at him. "I think you should leave for a while. I have to think about what I want to do before I see you again." Her voice cracked as she said it. Her eyes had hurt inside of them.

"I'll give you all the time that you need. I will be in Manhattan tomorrow for my last book signing. But I will not leave here until I know that we are stable. So when I go back to North Carolina I can get the rest of my things and come back."

"You aren't going to give your wife her Divorce papers?"

"I did last week. I told you. I don't love her and our marriage never really was anything to me." He said shrugging his shoulders. "This thing that we have had for the last two weeks has meant way more to me, then those three years we were married."

Brooke half smiled as she watched him walk out of her apartment. Once she heard the door slam, she closed her bedroom door, and jumped on her bed. Running her fingers through her long brown hair she stared at the ceiling. Boy did she have a lot of thinking to do.

She rolled over and put hung her head over the edge of the bed. Causing her to see everything upside down. Then she noticed something sticking out of her book shelf that was near the only window in her room. She knew exactly what it was. The only book that stood out from all of the rest. The only book that wasn't about fashion and designers. The book that could make up her mind for her. She stood up and placed her feet on the carpet floor. Walking over to the bookshelf she began to et nervous. What if the book was going to make her go against Lucas.

Shaking all of the negative ideas out of her head, she reached for the book with the hard cover. Placing her hands on it and letting her fingers feel the bump texture. The books title was _'Trying to Find My Way_'. _By: Lucas E. Scott._ She wondered what the E stood for as she opened the book straight to the dedication page.

It Read: **This book is dedicated to my mother, Karen Rowe. She has always been there for me no matter what my dreams were and has stood by me until the end. Even if I did do some things that she did not approve of. This also goes out to my best friend and sister-in-law Haley Scott. She is basically like a sister to me and nobody can ever replace her in my heart. My brother Nathan as well. Even though we haven't had the strongest relationship, I love you bro. My nephew Jaime. He gets makes me smile even through the hard times. And I wouldn't be anywhere without my Uncle Keith. He has always been like a father figure to me. Last but not least my wife.**

A smile could not help but creep up on her face. Maybe Lucas wasn't lying after all. All the other people that he had mentioned in this dedication all had names, and a quick little shout outs. All he had written was 'Last but not least my wife.' No name and it didn't say anything after that she checked. For the first time in her life she actually wanted to read a book. There wasn't a teacher there bugging her and on her back. There was just her and a sudden interest in the book.

Going over to the light with book still in her hands she turned it on. Then she went over to her lamp and shut it off. Looking around the room she chose her bed as the spot to start. Sitting down and making a comfortable place on the couch she opened it. Wow, this guy definately had to have something over her. She had never read a book for any guy. Maybe this was different.

* * *

_**Next Day in Manhattan:**_

"Okay, Luke this is your last person and then your done." Lindsey said patting him on the back. This was the last person of very many who were here to get there book signed. The two of them had been in this little bookstore for over two hours. He was signing autographs as she just stood there, smiled, and waved.

"We need this to be put up by closing." The manager of the store told Lindsey. He was referring to the cardboard cutout of Lucas holding his book. "I will get some of my employees to get the table and the rest of the books."

Nodding her head she picked up the cardboard cut out. "I'm going to take this back to my car. Then I think I am going to leave. Do you need me to stay?"

"No, I am pretty much done here." Lucas replied as he shook the last girls hand. His hopes were crushed. He had hoped that Brooke would show up. He had thought that they were going to last way longer then two weeks. Even though most guys would think of this as a little fling. He really thought that they were going to beat the odds and actually make it. Maybe he was just as dumb as his brother always told him. Maybe he always did have his heads in the clouds.

"Luke?"

He heard a females voice and his hopes git high thinking that Brooke had come. He really wasn't as stupid as he thought. But of course it wasn't Brooke. No. It was Peyton. The one person that he really didn't want to see. "What are you doing here?"

"I have been calling your fucking phone non stop." She said bitterly. "We need to talk." Her hands were in a black leather jacket. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, and she had on some snake skin boots.

"Yeah, you are right." He replied clicking his pen. He stood up for the first time in hours and stretched out. Walking to the opposite side of the table and sitting down he asked, "Why haven't you signed the divorce papers?"

Peyton gave a little chuckle and then rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously going to waist a five year relationship on a stupid fight? We have been married for three years and you want to give up on me, just like that?" She lifted her shoulders and then eased them down.

"Come on. I haven't touched you in weeks and you know that I haven't really been feeling you like that." He said feeling a little weird with this conversation. The fact of the matter was he was a nice guy. No matter what he hated being mean, but there was no real easy way to say this at all. "I told you when we first started dating that I really didn't love you as much as you loved me."

"I thought I changed your mind! I mean come on you have to admit that you do have love for me? You married me for gods sake!" Part of her knew that all of this was true. But there was no way she was going to believe that her marriage was over. She had tried way to hard to make him love her to give up now.

"Yes, and I know that it was a mistake." His chest started to hurt with every word. He knew that what he was saying was killing her. The truth was he really did have feelings for Peyton. But when he measured them up to Brooke's they were nothing. "I should have never married you if I didn't really love you. That was mean and I am trying to fix it. I want you to go out there and find somebody who loves you back as much as you love them."

"Well I can't!" Tears began to run down her cheek. This was getting harder then she thought it was.

"Why not? There is no way that I am going to stay inside a loveless marriage." He said sternly. No matter what she was going to say. There was no way that he was going to-

"I'm pregnant." She kind of screamed.

Okay, maybe that would make him stay inside of a loveless marriage. "What?"

"The reason that I have been calling you all those times is because I found out I am pregnant." She said again. "I wanted you to come home so I could tell you face to face. But we both know that you didn't do that. Then I was going to tell you over the phone, but you wouldn't answer. So I called Lindsey and she told me you were going to be here. I hoped on the closest flight and here I am."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure. I took a test and went to the doctor and everything. We are going to have a baby." A smile crept across her face as she said it. Knowing that the one thing Luke did not want to do was become his father. He would not divorce her now, and leave her with his child to raise alone. They would have to stay in the marriage now. And maybe she could twist his mind to make him fall in love with her.

The blond did not know how he felt about this. Part of him was happy. He was going to have a little boy or girl that was going to be half of him. The other part however was sad. He didn't love Peyton. Now he would have to pretend to be in love just for their baby. Should I stay in the marriage? He asked himself as he looked at her.

"I get it okay, you don't want to be with me. But this baby deserves a father. And even though we aren't having the best of times right now. It was conceived in love. And I know how you feel about abortions so I would never-"

Before she could finish he just hugged her. He continued to hug her until he felt her body relax. "I am so sorry that I put you through all of this. I promise from now on you won't have to worry about I thing. I will take care of you and this baby."

Hearing those words made her feel calm. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Oh god, Lucas I love you." She said passionately.

"I love you too." He said almost empty. He looked up from the hug and looked at the entrance. There in his presents was the beautiful brunette that stole his heart in only two weeks. His heart dropped as he stared at her. The pain in her eyes was unforgivable agony. "Brooke!" He called out letting her go out of a hug. He ran after her forgetting all about the woman he called his wife.

The tears were pouring as she tried to run as fast as she could down the concrete Manhattan street. The harsh November wind blowing on her pale skin. She could hear as his voice called out her name. She couldn't turn around, if she did there was no telling what would have happened.

"Wait! Please!" He called out still chasing after her. His long legs caught up to her quickly. Cutting her off as they entered into some type of park. He jumped in front of her and held her by the arms. "Listen to me, please?" He begged out of breath.

"Why should I?" She half yelled and cried. As she tried to catch her breath as well. She could see the air coming out of her body as she tried not to cry. Everything seemed like a blur to her. All that kept reappearing in her mind was the sight of him hugging whoever that chick was. "Is that her?"

He nodded his head yes. "I didn't know that she was going to show up. Honest. Or else I would have never asked you to come here."

You could here pigeons flocking all around them, the sounds of little kids still playing on the playground, and the hustle and bustle of city life all together. "I believe you." She said feeling like she was blowing things out of proportion a little bit. "Did you tell her to sign the papers? So we can get on with our relationship?"

"I did." He said not knowing what to tell her. He was not ready to break her heart. He was not ready for his heart to get broken. All he wanted was her and it seemed like the universe just didn't want them together.

"Is she going to sign them?"

He nodded his head no.

"Then can't you go in front of a judge and plead the case that you want a divorce from her? It's unfair that she won't sign the papers. Did you tell how in love we are with one another?" She put her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry Brooke but I was wrong. I thought I didn't love her. But after seeing her today I noticed that maybe ending a five year relationship so sudden is a bad idea." He felt as though that lie took all of the energy out of his body. He had lied to himself his whole life that he loved Peyton. But lying to Brooke about not loving her was harder.

"You are lying." She giggled out of pure denial. "I read your book. Lucas it is about a guy who is trapped in a loveless marriage and tries his best to get out. The guy ends up killing himself just to get away from his significant other! That boy is you." She said using her cold hands to touch the skin if his cold face. "You are that boy, but instead of you killing yourself you found me. We are supposed to be together not you and her and you know that. In your heart you know that!" She said sentimentally.

"Brooke, please. I have to go back to Tree Hill." He took her hands off his face. "What we had was special, but it wasn't reality. The reality of the situation is our relationship would have never worked." His voice cracked a little as he was beginning to loose his voice. The cold air plus the stabbing pains he felt in his chest for lying to her like this was causing him to loose his voice.

"You don't know that Lucas!" She screamed. "All you know is that you love me and I love you. And don't you dare try to deny it because I can see it in your eyes." She cried. "I can see it every time you look at me. Because I look at you the same way."

"You are making this harder then it has to be." The only thing he could think about was his baby that was growing inside of Peyton. That baby's happiness was way more important then any of his happiness. "We need to just end it here."

"So that's it? You are just going to leave and go back to your family? Just forget that these last couple of weeks just never happened. Forget that I am here?"

He nodded his head. "I have too. I have no choice."

"That is bullshit and you know it!" She screamed out of rage. "You always have a choice Lucas. And I guess you choose Polly."

"It's Peyton."

"Whatever!" She screamed. Out of pure delight she just kisses him on the lips. Making sure that this kiss will make him never forget her. Then he whispered in his ear. "Can she do that?"

His body was aching for more as she separated her body from his. Watching her walk away in the cold down the long, dark, park path. It was as though his life had turned upside down. He had to choose between his unborn child and love. He was not Dan Scott though. He was going to be there for his kid. No matter what.


	3. Thanks For Nothing

_**Chapter 3: Thanks For Nothing**_

_**By: Mariah Carey**_

_**I cant even know what to say  
I've been hurt I've been played  
and I'm so ashamed  
I can't even cry it's that deep  
You just lie and you cheat  
Like its nothing  
see you said that you loved me to and so I trusted you but i guess that subconsciously I knew  
but i never met a boy so true  
never thought of me and you  
but you was just fronting  
**_

It was kind of ironic to her. She knew that her life was going to well for the past couple of years. She was in fashion school, starting a new life away from her rich parents, and she was getting by as best as she could. It seems like those good days were a dream. Her whole life had been a struggle, and just as she was turning it around this happened.

"Brooke!" The brunette heard her name being called from the bathroom. Jumping a little she tried to find a place to hide the stick. "Just a minute!" She called back out looking around her bathroom.

"Are you sick again?" Rachel asked curiously as she held her head on the door. "I got you some gingerale and some crackers."

Opening the door with a weak smile she nodded her head no. "I am not sick." Her voice was filled with fear and her eyes were teary. "I wish that I was though."

_**aye boy thanks for nothing  
i never knew enough about you babe  
i guess i only have myself to blame  
now im broken hearted and shattering  
you were just playing a game  
nothing anyone can do to convince me babe  
i was living in a lie, just a masquerade  
now i only know that ill never be the same  
you were just playing a game  
**_

_**  
(oh, oh ) (oh, oh)  
thanks for nothing  
you were just playing a game**_

"Come on Brooke, that jerk left almost six weeks ago. I thought that we discussed this. You told me that you were going to get back to your normal routine." This scared her. As long as she had known her friend, she had never became this depressed over a guy.

"I was. I really was." She told her truthfully. "But then I started to feel queasy again. I thought that it was from the broken heart he left me with. I mean every single time I think about him in the arms of that girl I throw up a little in my mouth. But that isn't what is wrong with me."

With a look of confusion she followed her friend into her living room and watched as she sat on the couch and curled herself into a ball. Her forehead was positioned on the top of her knees, and her back was curved. "What is it?" She began to get concerned.

"It's really bad." She croaked. All of these emotions were running through her body. All of these thoughts. Her whole life had just changed before her eyes, and she had no clue what she did to deserve this.

"No matter how bad it is. I am always here for you." Rachel sat on the opposite side of the couch and touched the front of her leg gently. "Just tell me."

"Rach. I am pregnant. And Lucas is the father." She could no longer keep the tears inside. They spilled down her face like rain on a cloudy day. She had cried so hard that her whole body began to shake. "Why?" She asked her friend. "Why me?"

"I don't know." She kept repeating to her friend as she hugged her and stroked her back.

* * *

_**Tree Hill North Carolina:**_

Peyton cuddled on the chest of her husband as they watched 'Final Destination 2'. For the past couple of weeks since they had been back, Lucas had been so sweet. He had cooked for her, cleaned for her, and he would even talk to her stomach at night. It was like he had changed into the perfect man once he had found out that she was carrying his child.

"Are you craving anything?" He asked looking at his wife. Her head was positioned directly on his lap. He had one arm on the edge of the couch and the other on her abdomen. Knowing that he was going to be a father changed him for the better.

"No, I haven't started my craving weird foods, stage yet. I am still kind of on my morning sickness stage." She said softly. Part of her knew that this was only going to last for a while. Before he knew that she was pregnant he had been very distant from her. Now that he knows he has been so overprotective and although most people would hate it, she loved it. It made her feel safe and secure. The things that she never was able to feel when she was younger.

"I've been thinking about our future and everything. And I think that maybe you should stop your recording company." He tried to bring up the manner lightly. He knew how delicate she was about her recording studio.

"Are you crazy?" She turned her head to face him. Laying the back of her head on his lap and looking up. Their blue eyes met. "Babe, you know how much I love the studio. I was just starting to pick up some really great acts, and I think in a couple of years it can become something big."

"I have total faith in you." Still trying to seem supportive of her, but trying to get her to see it his way. "But the truth is the studio is wasting some money. The little acts that you perform here or there, don't make up for all of the bills we need to keep the place running, and it ends up coming out of my pay check."

"It's not like we don't have the money. Luke you know the studio is like my baby. That would be like you telling me to abort this baby." She knew that it was a little on the dramatic side, but it was how she felt.

"You can't compare the two?"

"They are both important to me. And you know how much I hate change. Without the studio, what will I look forward to doing everyday?" After realizing she was winning she turned her head back to the television screen and continued watching the movie. Not really paying attention to it, but her eyes were on the screen.

His eyes however were still on her. It was times like these where he had wished he was with Brooke. He thought about her constantly. Most of the time when he looked at his tattoo, which he still had not showed Peyton. Sometimes he wishes that he had left better. Maybe given her a better explanation as to why he had to. "You can look forward to raising our son or daughter."

"Have you ever thought of me as a housewife? Come on be serious, Luke. Have you ever really pictured me as the type of person who would stay home and have dinner waiting for you when you got there?"

"I guess, maybe I thought you would see it as a way to settle down a bit. You know how I always wanted a big family. This might not be our last kid, and maybe you staying home would be the best thing."

"I haven't even popped this one out yet and you are already talking about more?" She got up and looked at him with a look of confusion. "I don't know what has gotten into you, but whatever it is it needs to stop."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever since we came back from New York, and I saw you run after that little brunette. You have been acting strange."

"It has nothing to do with coming home from New York. I have been thinking about this for a while." He felt as though he had to clear things up. "Sometimes I just wish that you would take into consideration that people change. Not everybody stays the same Peyton."

"Why not?" She kind of yelled. "Why change? You and I are like two of the same people. We both like quiet nights in, we both are opinionated, we like the same music, and hell we even have the same hair color."

"That is true, but have you ever thought that we are to much alike?" All of a sudden de ja vu happened to him. He could see the same hurt in her blue eyes that he had saw in Brooke's eyes before he had left. He almost felt as though he were reliving the moment.

The sound of the movie drowned out the sound of nothingness in the room. Both of them looked at each other. Neither of them knowing what to say. They both had the same thought in their mind. 'Is this the end?'

"You know what? I think I am going to go take a shower and go to bed before I say something that I might regret." Lucas broke the silence. He got off of the couch and walked up the stairs to get to the master bathroom.

The blond was not able to watch as her husband left. Her heart felt heavy with hurt. She knew the only reason he hadn't said anything was because she was pregnant. She got off of the couch and ventured into the kitchen for a light snack. Having skipped over dinner because of her morning sickness.

She took a glass from out of the cabinet and filled it with cold tap water. Sipping it lightly as she closed her eyes. Picturing herself in a couple of months holding her baby, and Lucas right next to her smiling. Placing her free hand on her stomach outside of her shirt she said, "Your daddy loves you and he will love me. As soon as you come. We will be one happy family."

* * *

_**New York:**_

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked bringing Brooke a cup of hot tea.

"I feel like I am about to barf at any second." Her voice was still weak from all of the crying that she had done. She was still curled up on the couch. A blanket was over her knees, and her body was still a little jittery. She began to inhale the steam to calm down her queasiness.

"So what are you going to do?" The redhead asked her friend as she sat back down next to her.

"I don't know. Ever since I have found out that I am pregnant, I have been thinking about it."

"And?"

"And I don't think I can have this baby." She could feel the eyes of her friend staring at her.

"So you are thinking about abortion?"

"Of course. I mean there is no reason for me to actually have this baby. I am twenty two, the father of this baby is married and doesn't love me, I can barely afford to take care of myself, and I have never really had a mother figure when I was growing up."

"This all might be true, but don't you think any life is better then no life? And I bet if you tell Lucas about the baby he will at least pay child support."

"No Rachel! No, whatever happens you have to promise that Lucas will not know about this. Not until I am ready to tell him." Her facial expression was serious as she said it. There was no way that she was going to call him up for help. If she did keep this baby she would have to do it all on her own.

"Brooke, he should know that there is a baby."

"Look, I know that you are trying to help. But sitting here and judging the way that I am going to deal with this situation is not helping me whatsoever! So please just stop talking."

_**everyday and every night, i stay by the phone  
never go no place, so just incase you called i be home  
seemed like all i do is think about our screwed up romance  
while you're somewhere burning diesel in the streets having laughs**_

_**somebody say you know what I'm going thru  
even if were nothing too  
bet you cant count on one hand singing 3456  
7 days a week you-re laying in tears  
he was so insincere  
now you laying up in bed every night saying..**_

"Wow, well I'm sorry for trying to help you see other options." She got off of the couch and picked up her purse and coat. "I think I am going to leave. You have a lot to think about."

The brunette felt a little guilty as she saw the way that her friend was looking out her. But she is the one that is pregnant. If she gets an abortion or keeps it Rachel's life will not change at all. Hers will and she really needs to know what she wants to do before getting other peoples opinion on what she should do,

"But before you make any drastic decisions think about this. Your mother obviously didn't want you. And I know your life isn't the best, but at least you were born." With those last words she left.

The thing that annoyed her the most was that she knew her friend was right. However she was right as well. What type of life would the baby have? She doesn't have any money, she has no time to dedicate her life to a kid, and there was no way that she was going to go begging to Lucas. He chose his wife.

There was a slight knock on the door. Getting up and walking over to the door she rolled her eyes. "Rachel, I told you that I need some space so I can think."

"About what?" A tall broad guy asked as he walked into the apartment.

"About nothing." She lied quickly. "What are you doing here?"

"Mike told you to train me, remember? You told me to come over around this time so that you can teach me." He looked at her and then nodded his head. "You forgot?"

"Yeah, I totally did." She brushed her fingers through her silky brown hair.

"Do you want me to come back another time? Because I feel like I came at a bad time." He pointed back down the hallway.

"No, come in. Do you mind if I just take a shower? And get freshened up a bit first?" She asked as she opened the door more to let him in. Then she closed and locked it.

"No go ahead." The brown head guy looked around the room.

"You can watch some television if you want." She walked quickly across the room and got the remote from the book shelf. "Please, don't mind the mess."

Taking the remote he looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay."

As she walked in the back to take a shower, she picked up pizza boxes, and leftover plastic bottles.

The guy looked around the room and sat down on the old couch. Turning on the TV he flipped through channels. For about an hour he watched some ESPN, until Brooke showed back up.

"Why do guys always turn to that channel?" She must admit she felt a lot better after a shower. Since she had been dumped by Lucas she hadn't been taking good care of herself.

"I don't know. Why do girls always change right to lifetime?" He turned away from the television to look behind him at Brooke.

"You got me there." She went over to the couch and sat next to him. Watching as he turned off the television she realized she had forgotten this guys name. "Um...What is your name again?"

"I am Owen."

"I feel so stupid for forgetting your name. I am usually on point with those kind of things, but things have been sort of crazy lately." Feeling like she was talking to much she shut up.

"So, how long have you been a waitress?"

"Since I was seventeen."

"And a bartender?"

"I just started last year, but I had been around it for four years. So I knew what to do as soon as I began to work."

"Mike said that you were the best that he had ever seen. That is why he recommended you." He smiled and looked at the beautiful girl in front of him. He barely knew anything about her and yet he felt himself becoming attracted to her.

"I have an out there question?"

"Hit me."

"Let's say that you got a girl pregnant. Let's just pretend. Would you want her to get an abortion?"

"Why did a girl say that she was pregnant by me?" He asked nervously.

"No, I just remembered your name a few seconds ago. It was just a question."

He looked at her with a funny look. "Well, to tell you the truth. No. I am one of those people who believe that every life is worth living. What about you?"

"I think that why bring a life into this world if it is just going to have a sucky life."

"But you aren't God. You never know. The life that you aborted could be the next Mariah Carey or Michael Jordan." He countered. Something about this conversation was making him think.

"Thanks. Believe it or not you just helped me with something." She said nodding her head yes. "Anyway lets get back to why you came. The first rule of becoming a bartender is the age limit of drinking. If the person looks as if they are under twenty one, ask for an I.D. Just to be careful. You never want to serve alcohol to minors. It is a serious offence and cam get the bar in a lot of trouble."

"But what if they are underaged and still have an I.D.?" He asked thinking about when he was young and how he used to get his alcohol. Of course after drinking he never drove, but there weren't that many people out there like him.

"If the picture on the I.D. looks nothing like the person, then don't serve it t them. You can't get in trouble for trusting your instincts." She smiled as she pointed it out.

"Now, I am guessing you must be pretty good at making drinks for Mike to hire you. He never hires anybody with that little experience."

He gave her a nice smile. "I have mixed drinks at a couple parties before. It's like second nature to me."

"So your a party boy huh?"

"I guess you can say that, but I am not a usual party boy. I still got good grades and the only sport I was good at was wrestling."

"I can see you in tights..." She laughed at the image that popped up in her head. "Umm...We have this whole code book thing. Mike always makes us read it to his new employees. So you might be here for a while." Her voice turned serious.

"That's fine. I'll order some Chinese food, you get the book, and let's start."

"Wait, you aren't going to come up with some whack line, try to get me drunk, and then get me into bed?" Her tone of voice was a little bit more relieved and surprised then anything else.

"I told you Brooke. I am not like normal party guys. I would never take advantage of a girl. The only time I have sex with a female is when we are in a committed relationship or married."

"Sure, whatever. I bet that is a whole bunch of bullshit. All guys say that and they end up in your pants the next day." She said coldly and walked into the back room.

Feeling as though he had to defend himself he followed her into the room. "What the hell got into you?"

"Nothing."

"No, something got into you. You were just flirting with me a couple of minutes ago and then all of a sudden you called me a liar!"

"I'm not calling you a liar. It's just I know bullshit when I hear it. When I asked you earlier about abortion, you were worried you might have gotten a girl pregnant. Then all of a sudden you don't have sex with a girl unless you guys are in a committed relationship? I might not be book smart. But I sure as hell am not stupid."

"I was referring to my ex-girlfriend when you asked me that question earlier. We were intimate and then we broke up. Because she became addicted to drugs after her sister was shot about three months ago." His head was held in shame and his voice was solid and thick.

"Oh My God, I am so sorry. I should have never.."

"No, it's fine. I think I am going to go get trained my Rachel. She might not be a better bartender then you, but at least she will not call me a liar." He turned out of her room and began to walk out the door.

"Owen, wait!" She called after him. But it was to late. Feeling like a complete idiot she walked into her room and went over to the bookshelf. Picking out the book that once made her smile, she slammed it on the ground. "Damn it, Lucas!" She screamed in anger. "Damn, it.

Sitting on the floor with tears still in her eyes. She wept. "Why me? Why does it always have to be me?"

_**aye boy thanks for nothing  
i never knew enough about you babe  
and i guess i only have myself to blame  
now im broken hearted and shattering  
you were just playing game  
nothing anyone can do to convince me babe  
i was living in a lie, just a masquered  
now i only know that ill never be the same  
you were just playing a game  
(oh, oh ) (oh, oh)  
thanks for nothing**_

* * *

_**Tree Hill North Carolina:**_

Shooting a nice jump shot in his brothers face he put on a cocky smile. "Even with a weak heart I still beat you little brother. I guess some things never change."

It was the middle of the afternoon. He was at River-court with Nathan. Nobody was there except the two of them and he was blowing his brother out fifteen to three. "You give up?"

"I usually wouldn't, but I have a feeling you and I need to talk." He said bouncing the ball up and down looking at the court. It had so many memories both good and bad for him.

"About what?"

"Your wife." Nathan laughed as he stopped bouncing the ball and went over to the picnic table. Taking a sip of his Poland Spring water, he looked at his brother and could see the annoyance in his face.

"I come here just to get away from her, and now we have to talk about her?" He asked walking over and sitting on the picnic table.

"Yes, because she decides to tell my wife everything she feels. And thanks to you." He hit him on his arm. "I didn't get any last night."

"Why?"

"I don't know. You know how women are. Always getting emotional and shit. I went to start it and she shrugged me off."

"What does that have to do with me and Peyton?"

"Before we went to bed, she was talking about how Peyton called her. She was upset about something, but you know how I am. I tune Haley out after a while. I love her and everything man. But I would go half crazy if I listened to every word."

Lucas laughed at his brother. Nathan was a lot of things, but a great listener was not one of them. Maybe that was why he needed Haley to tutor him in the first place. "All I mentioned last night was that maybe Peyton could give up on the recoding studio."

"And?"

"And she began to flip for no reason. Saying that I could compare that with telling her to abort our baby."

"I can't sympathize with you there my man. After Haley found out she was pregnant she was happy to change her life. You know do what's right for the baby and everything."

"See that's the problem. Peyton is scared of change. She thinks that I am the old Lucas she first fell in love with. I have changed and so has everybody else but her!"

"If you feel this way about her why did you marry her?" Nathan asked his older brother. He had asked this question about four hundred times already. And guess he always got the same answer.

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"Luke, I know you are trying to do right by your baby and everything. But this is not the way to do it. My parents stayed together for me and look how screwed up they turned out."

"Well, I am not Dan. I will never go crazy. I am going to be a great father."

"But you don't need to be married to somebody you don't love. Just to be a great father."

"I know, but I have no other choice. You know how Tree Hill is. I'll be shunned upon for leaving my pregnant wife."

"Since when has that ever stopped us from doing what we have to do? What is the real reason you don't want to leave Peyton?" He asked looking at his brother with a serious look. "Come on Luke you can tell me."

"I guess I am just scared. That if I leave her, she might do something drastic."

"Like?"

He hesitated before saying anything. Every inch of his body was trying not to say what he was feeling, but he had to tell somebody. And even though they did not hit it off in the beginning of their relationship. Nathan was his brother and he had become trustworthy. "That she might kill herself."

"Why would she?"

"Because think about it. Ellie died, I was there. Her dad left, I was there. Her mom died, I was there. She always told me I was the only thing that was keeping her going. Then if I leave, she might not feel like there is anything else to live for."

"You can't live you life afraid of what she 'might' do. I love Peyton, but I like seeing you happy. And a blind person can see that you are not really happy."

"I was happy when I left for New York. I felt as though I experienced life for the first time."

"What was her name?"

"Who?"

"There had to be a girl. I saw your tattoo. I didn't want to say anything about it because there were people around. But I know you, Luke. And only a special girl can get you to do that."

He laughed and looked to the sky. "Her name is Brooke Davis. Everything about her his amazing. Her looks, her demeanor, the way she laughs, the way her body feels against mine, her lips, and the thing I liked the most about her was her ability to change. One day she will be out partying and the next night she wouldn't mind staying in and watching a movie."

"Man, you basically just described the way I feel about Haley. I think you are experiencing true love."

"Yeah, well. Peyton came and announced she was pregnant. No matter how much I love Brooke. I don't want Peyton to kill herself, and my baby is more important then me."

"There shouldn't be a reason why you can't be a father and be happy."

"Yes, there is and her name is Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer Scott."


	4. Always Expect the Unexpected

_**Chapter 4: ****Always Expect the Unexpected**_

"I hope that we can see if the baby is a boy or a girl today." Peyton told Lucas excitedly. They were in the waiting-room at the doctors office. Her hands were on top of his and he was tapping his foot impatiently.

"Me too." He replied nervously looking around. There was just something about Doctor's offices that he didn't like. Most of the time because every time he came to one something was wrong.

"What's the matter babe? You look nervous."

"Nothing." He told her quickly. Putting on a fake smile. "I just need to get out of here in time. So I can make the meeting with the publishing company and editors of my book."

"I know what you mean. I have to get out of here too. I promised Mia I'd meet her in the studio in half an hour. We have only got three songs done so far on her album. We need to do about seven more before I give birth or else, they might drop her whole album all together."

"But Peyton that is only four months from now. How in the world are you going to pull that off?" He asked skeptically. Peyton Scott was a lot of things, but a miracle worker was not one of them.

"There might have to be all-nighters at the studio sometimes. And I might have to push her voice to the limit sometimes. But that is the price you pay when it comes to the entertainment industry."

"Peyton Scott?" A nurse called out as she entered the waiting-room carrying a clipboard. The dirty blond nurse looked around and smiled as she saw the couple stand up and walk over to her. "My name is Lucy." She told the two as she shook their hands.

Lucas followed the pudgy, short, dirty blond nurse and his wife into a room. It looked kind of like the doctors office he used to go to when he was younger. He watched his wife sit and pull up her sleeve.

"So how have you been feeling?" The nurse asked as she took took something a wrapped it around the patients arm.

"Besides a little tired, fine."

"Yeah, well this is the best time of the pregnancy. Once you reach month six you will be so tired of carrying this little one around." Lucy laughed as she checked her blood pressure.

"Everybody says that. But I don't think so. I am kind of enjoying being pregnant." She looked at her husband. He was standing by the door with his hands in his pocket.

She wrote down the blood pressure on the clipboard. "Have you been experiencing any pain or bleeding?"

"No."

"Has the baby begun to kick?"

"Yes."

"Does it have a schedule?"

"No, it usually just kicks whenever it feels like it."

"Okay. You are done with the question part." She said scribbling her last couple of words out on the sheet. Then she placed it on the counter and looked at the two. "The doctor will be here in a few."

"Do I have to leave?" Lucas asked knowing that soon Peyton would have to do some feminine things with the doctor.

"You can wait until the doctor comes. Or if you really feel that uncomfortable you can leave and come back when I come and get you." Smiling she looked at the very handsome guy. He could have been a model or something he was that cute.

"I think I'll leave." He stated and walked out of the room.

Lucy laughed and looked at the young woman. "I almost forgot. Put this on." She handed Peyton a hospital gown.

Grabbing it she walked into the bathroom, undressed herself, and then put it on.

_**20 Minutes Later:**_

Lucy walked out of the back and into the waiting-room area again. Searching around the room for the man that she had not met but only a few minutes ago. Once she noticed that he was not there she went over to the front desk. "Hey, Marie?" She called to a old, skinny, lady with gray hair and blue eyes.

"Yes?"

"Have you seen a guy? He is about five eleven, has blond hair, blue eyes, and looks as though he is a model." She tried to explain as best as she could. However it was hard since she had only seen the guy once.

The gray-haired lady nodded her head and pointed over to the door. "He was pacing through the waiting-room. I asked him if he needed help, he looked at me worriedly, and then walked right out of here."

"Okay, Thanks." She patted her hand on the wooden desk and went out the glass double doors. She walked over to the parking lot and saw him standing on the brick wall, where all the smokers would smoke on their breaks. "Mr. Scott?"

Lucas looked up without saying a word. His hands were securely in his pocket, his coat was zipped all the way up, and he had on some sneakers that were un-tied.

"The doctor is in with your wife right now. They are about to do the sonogram. Don't you want to come in and see the baby?" Walking over to him she felt a little scared. She had heard about many cases when people like this have turned out to be psychos from all of the old staff, and with her being new she would have no clue how to approach a situation like this.

"Is everything okay?" He asked concerned.

"Why don't you come in and see? I am sure the doctor will tell you if anything is wrong."

"You don't understand. Every single time I go inside of a hospital or doctors office something goes wrong. Either I am hurt or someone that I care about is hurt or hurting."

"I know that it must seem scary, but you should know that I was in there a couple of minutes ago and everything seems to be fine. You are worrying for no reason. Why don't you just come inside and see your son or daughter?"

With a little hesitance he walked with her back into the doctors office and into the room. It was the same room he was in before, but the lights were off and Peyton was on the cushion with her shirt up. Now exposing her pregnant stomach.

"So you can finally make it, huh?" A male indian doctor asked while holding part of the machine to Peyton's stomach.

Lucas grunted as he stared at the machine. He didn't no the mechanics to it, but he did know what he was looking at was his baby. The baby that he had made with his wife. He had to admit the more time he gave it, the more the picture actually looked like a baby. When he first saw it he was not able to see his baby at all.

"Did the baby open it's legs?"Peyton asked over the heartbeat of their baby. "Can you tell whether it is a boy or a girl?"

Moving the monitor around and taking a closer look at it he smiled. "Are you guys sure you want to know what you are having? What I can tell you might not always be the case."

"Yes, we are sure." She said impatiently as she glanced at her husband and then back at the screen.

"Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Scott. You guys are having a baby girl."

Her heart almost leaped out of her shirt it was pounding so hard. She had secretly hoped that it was a girl since the moment she found out that she was pregnant. Now her dreams have come true. She finally was going to have the baby girl that she always wanted.

He tried to seem as if he was just as excited as she was, but in all reality he had secretly hoped it was a boy. Just so he can show his father what a man is supposed to do for his son. But the more he thought about it, the more he was okay with it. The idea of a little girl was growing on him a little.

"We already have the names picked out and everything."

"Really?" Nurse Lucy asked from the doorway. She had been sitting there quietly the whole time.

"Yes, if it was a boy. The name was going to be David Nathan Scott."

"That is such a handsome name." The doctor chimed in.

"But since it is a girl. Her name is going to be Cecelia Anna Scott."

"Where did you get her name from?" Nurse Lucy asked Peyton as she wiped the cold gel off of her stomach.

"Cecelia was just a name that I found and fell in love with when I was looking through a baby book about two months ago. And Anna is the name of my mother who died when I was young."

"Well, that baby is going to have a very beautiful name, and a very healthy upbringing. I can tell." Doctor Narayan said as he motioned to Lucy to turn on the lights. As soon as the light were on he flipped through the sheets of paper that he had in his hand.

Peyton who was not worried one bit about her health, but about the time sat up and looked at the clock. If she did not leave soon she would be late to the studio to meet with Mia.

"Okay, everything seems to be good. Except that your blood pressure is a little high."

"Is that bad?" Lucas asked as soon as he heard the statement from the doctor. For the past couple of weeks he kept on having this same, reoccurring nightmare. He would be away at a book tour somewhere, and Peyton would be at home. In his dream she was almost about to have the baby. When he would come home Peyton was in all black and they would be in the cemetery. There would be a grave that would say. _'Here lies our baby. Never had a real chance at life, but we still loved it the same.'_

"No, as long as she can stay stress-free. If her blood pressure continues to increase, then it can cause some stress to the baby."

"Enough to kill it?"

"Yes, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. As a doctor I am always supposed to prepare you for the worst, but in all reality there may not be anything to worry about."

Calming down a little he looked at his wife. Instead of seeming overjoyed as she did a couple of seconds ago. She looked as though this was an inconvenience to her.

"Okay, so if there is nothing else can we leave?"

"Yes, please pay up front and the nurse will give you your prescription for your prenatal vitamins."

The blond got up quicker then she had since her stomach had expanded. With the help of her husband she hoped off of the cushion and her was back on her feet again. They walked hand and hand to the front office where there was an old lady with a smile.

"You seem to be in a happier mood." She said as she handed them the prescription.

"Yes, I was just being over dramatic." He laughed not wanting to explain to Peyton what was going through his mind as she was getting her exam. He signed the paper and put his insurance company down. Then he reached into his pocket and paid the fee.

As they walked back out of the double doors, Peyton leaned in and whispered, "What was that all about?"

"Nothing baby. You know how old people never know what they are talking about." He shrugged it off.

* * *

_**New York:**_

Brooke Davis who was now four months pregnant ran into her waitress job as fast as she could. She passed all of the tables, the stage, and went into the back room where all of the employees put there things. She took off her long coat and ran into the bathroom to change from her suit from being a manger to her waitress uniform.

About five minutes later she walked out with her name tag on backwards and a uniform that was too tight on her. She could barely breathe, but she knew she had to suck it up for the sake of her job. "Mike, I am so sorry I am late." Her boss was standing in front of her as soon as she entered back into the place where all of the business was held.

"Why are you late this time?" His expression was dead serious. He loved Brooke and she had been one of her most loyal employees for a while, but he was running a business. And this was her third time being late this week.

"I had to go to the clinic today and you know that it can be pretty crowded around there. I was late to my other job, so I stayed until closing, and it took me a while to catch the bus."

"Brooke, I know it has been pretty rough for you. Especially now that you are pregnant. But I have a business to run, and I can't keep letting you slide because you are one of my oldest employees. If you don't step it up around here. I might have to fire you."

"I promise I will not be late again. Just please don't fire me. I need this job. Without it I will have no money for rent and food. My other job is good for the benefits and health insurance, but it doesn't really pay."

"I know. And you know I feel for you because my mother was a single mother of two children. Me and my brother. But again I can't keep letting you off the hook. All the other employees are going to wonder if they can come in anytime they want as well, and I can't have chaos running around here."

"I understand, Mike. You have the Brooke Davis promise. I will not be late without calling in or anything."

He patted her on her shoulder and then walked away to help another customer.

Brooke tried to breathe out of her gut, but it wasn't working. And she was pretty sure that she had let it out as best as she could. As much as she really didn't want to face it she was gaining weight. It was time for her to start wearing maternity clothes.

"Hey, slut." Rachel said coming out of the employee doors.

She was a little startled. "What are you doing back there?"

"I was in there the whole time. I heard Mike being a bastard. I am telling you that guy really needs to get laid." She said looking over to her boss. "If he wasn't like a father to me, then I would help him out with that problem."

"Why is your solution always to get laid?" She asked as she began to clean out the dirty beer glasses behind the bar.

Rachel helped as they continued there conversation. "It always worked for me. Every single time that I am upset all I do is find a guy and have sex with him."

"I am still surprised that I am the one that ended up pregnant. I would have thought that it would have been the opposite."

"Yeah, well I may be a slut, hoe, whore, and all of the above. But I am not stupid. I know the concept of birth control and condoms. I have since I was fifteen years old. And I also know that you are really looking fat."

"Oh, lets not talk about fat. Do you really want to go back to middle school?" She joked looking at her friend with evil in her eyes. "Do not make me bring up the names that you loath so much."

"Hey, I fixed myself. It was nothing that my dads money and a little surgery couldn't fix. Speaking of loath. At least I am smart enough to loath my father but still take his money."

"You loath you father because of the stupid stepmothers he brings into your life. At least your father wants to be apart of it. My father was just there for money, and I figured why should I even be considered as there daughter? If all I am there for is to spend his money?"

"True, but at least you get a second chance with this baby. If it was me. I don't think I would be able to do what you are doing now. I mean I know I joke around and call you names and stuff. But you really are a strong woman."

"Thanks, Rach. And thanks for not trying to get me to tell Lucas again."

"You said that you already tried to tell him. Maybe it wasn't meant to be if you can't get into contact with him."

"Yeah." She said lowly. "I think I'm going to start waiting on some tables. I need some tips for dinner tonight." She told her as she pulled out a pad and a pen.

She nodded her head yes and continued to wash out the glasses. "Wait, what happened at the clinic today?"

"You mean after I had to wait for about two hours? I finally got to see the doctor. Everything is fine, but my blood pressure is a little high, and he told me what I was having."

"Brooke Penelope Davis! You were about to walk away without even telling me what you were having?"

She smiled brightly as she looked at her friend. "I'm having a baby girl." She said happily. "A baby girl."

"Oh my god. And I am going to be the God mother right?"

"Who else?" Her smile was still bright. There had been an extra pep in her step since she had figured out that she was having a baby girl. It made her realize that she was not doing everything for herself now, but for her baby. It empowered her to keep going. Especially since she was starting to feel the extra weight of the pregnancy catch up to her.

She was so happy and excited that she was about to throw her fist in the air, but instead a bunch of soap went everywhere. Usually she would be mad about having to clean up the mess, but now knowing that she was going to be a God mother has changed her. Maybe she'll stay in tonight instead of finding a random guy to do stuff with.

* * *

_**Tree Hill:**_

Peyton hit the intercom button and with frustration in her voice said, "No, do it again and this time I want it perfect." Referring to the key that Mia had just sung into the microphone. She glanced up at the clock it had been four hours and they still were not finished with the one song they started since the beginning.

"Can I take a break? My throat is beginning to hurt." She called back into the intercom. She had been singing for four hours nonstop. No water break or anything. Surprising even herself with how strong her voice must have been.

"Sure, you can take a break. But while you are taking a break some other artist is out there. Waiting to break through just like you. Who wants it so bad that they don't take breaks at all. They just keep singing until they have it right."

"I am not like other artists. I don't pay you to tell me how competitive it is out there in the entertainment industry. I know because I work there. I pay you to get my album done and so far you haven't been doing a good job of that." Mia was just as irritated as Peyton was. She was tired of hearing her back talk for days.

Peyton shut the down the booth and walked into the section where the microphone was. "I could get my work done if I would sign better artists. That didn't want to stop every single time there throat hurt!" She yelled.

"I know that your pregnant and hormonal, but I am sick of your bitchiness. I am taking five before I beat up a pregnant woman." Her voice was nothing but bitter as she said it. She got off of the stool and walked out.

All of a sudden she felt the baby kick. It was harder then usual, but she didn't really pay it any mind. She was to worried about the fact that she had promised the fans her album would be out in four months. And half of her album wasn't done. Rubbing her head she went into her office. Right when she stepped one foot inside of it the phone rang. Knowing that it was her husband she ignored it. She loved Lucas, but ever since he found out she had high blood pressure. He had been calling her non-stop every ten minutes. That and the fact that Mia was probably on her period was not helping her calm down.

There was a knock on her office door. She had already sat down. "Come in!" She called to lazy to get up.

"Are you alright in here?" Haley asked walking into the office.

"I wish I could say that I was. My husband has been calling me non-stop for the past four hours, my artist is on a break that she gave herself, and I promised the fans that her album would be out in four months." Her tone was frustrated.

"I know that this is important for you. Whether Mia hits it big or flops is riding on the future of this recording company. However what about your baby's future? Don't you think that is a little more important right now?"

"Yes, I do. But I can't let Mia and this studio down. It may not mean anything to you, but ever since I was little this was my dream. I don't want my dreams to be crushed, just because I am pregnant."

"Your dreams wont be crushed. Why don't you just pull the album release until next year? This way you can have time to do everything with the baby and you'll have more then enough time to finish it." Feeling a little weird standing up she sat opposite the desk that Peyton was sitting at.

"I could, but then it would make my recording studio look like we can't execute things and Mia will loose fans." She folded her hands on her desk. "I have thought about all of my options and this is the only solution that I can come up with. Now if you don't mind I have to go back in there and finish this damn song."

"Wait, I know you think this is the only choice. But you always have a choice."

"Haley, I love you. I really do. The truth of the matter is I am not you. I'm not going to change everything because I am pregnant. I am not giving up on my dream to become a housewife."

Ignoring her comment and rolling her eyes she said, "What about your high blood pressure?"

"You have been talking to Luke?"

"Yes, and he has expressed to me how concerned he is about everything. He thought that maybe I can come down here and talk some sense into you. I thought that I could, but it seems as though you have your mind made up."

"I do. It would really be easier though if everybody just left me the hell alone! I have him calling me every ten minutes and here you come all high and mighty like you are so much better then me. Well, news flash. You got pregnant at seventeen and married when you were sixteen."

"You are a bitch Peyton. I just came down here to try to talk to you. I wasn't trying to seem higher then you."

"Are we finished?" She began to feel a gush come from her pants. Thinking that maybe she had peed on herself from all of the stress in the last couple of hours she stood up. "Look what you made me do?"

Haley stood up and looked at the seat. "Peyton, that is blood."

All of a sudden she started to feel a cramp come from her abdomen. She put her hand there and moaned loudly. "Owww...." She cried.

Haley quickly took out her phone to dial 911, but got no service. She flipped it back shut and went over to her. "Where is the phone to the office?"

The pain was so unbearable that she was unable to speak. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. With one hand still on her stomach she pointed to a drawer in her desk.

Getting the signal she opened the desk and the phone was in there. She dialed 911 as fast as she could. "Hello? Yes. I have a friend here that is five months pregnant. We were arguing, she started bleeding, and I think she is contracting." Her voice was frantic. Everything was beginning to seem so surreal.

The blond felt another pain hit her like a ton of bricks. She couldn't help but scream out in pain. So many emotions were going through her. The fact that she might loose her baby flew through her mind causing her to cry.

"The paramedics are on their way." Haley who was now out of breath said as she went over to Peyton. "They told me to keep you awake."

It was to late for that. All of a sudden all Peyton Sawyer could see was pure black.

"Peyton! Peyton!" She screamed off of the top of her lungs. Her friend was now passed out on the floor and gushing blood. It was as though it was nightmare that was coming true. She prayed to God that the paramedics would get there soon. She had no practice on how to handle this stuff. All she could do was sit there and wait.

Mia walked into the office and her heart stopped. "What the hell is going on?" She asked looking at her boss who was knocked out and had blood coming out of her. Then Haley who she knew from meeting her before while she was on tour and through Peyton, who was sitting there pale as ever crying. "Is she dead? Did you call the paramedics?"

"No, and Yes. They should be on there way any minute." Her voice was shaky from crying.

"I'm going to call Lucas."

"Don't!" Haley hit her hand as soon as she had her cell phone out. "If everything is okay once we get to the hospital, then we would have worried him for no reason."

"His pregnant wife is on the fucking floor, gushing blood, and knocked out. I think that he deserved to know." Flipping her phone open she noticed that she had no service. "Damn it. I don't know why I even bother in here."

* * *

_**New York:**_

"Good night." She waved to Mike and Rachel who were staying back to close up. Closing her jacket up and putting on her hood she walked to the right to catch the bus. It was raining like cats and dogs out there and there was no way she was going to walk home.

"Brooke, wait up!"

She heard a voice from behind and when she looked Owen was running toward her with an umbrella. "You really shouldn't be walking out here in the rain with no umbrella."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine. I do it all of the time."

"Have you ever done it when you were pregnant before?"

She nodded her head no and shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, you win. But I have to pay you back somehow. Ever since that little fiasco a few months back at my house, you never really gave me a chance to repay you."

"You can repay me by saying that you will take a ride with me in my car. To go back to your house."

"Owen, no. You have really done enough."

"There is no way that I am going to let you stand out there for a bus, when you can be in my nice warm car. Now, I will not take no for an answer. So you might as well say that you are going to come."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked as she followed him to the car. "I was such an ass to you when we first met. You forgave me as soon as I said I was sorry and now you are doing this."

"Because I believe that even though you have a lot of issues, you are a good woman. I can't find many girls who have rich fathers, but don't take advantage of them. Your smart, have common sense, independent, and you know how to do what you have to do."

She climbed into the passenger seat of his car blushing. "Are you hitting on me?"

"Maybe."

"You do know that I am pregnant with another mans baby, right?"

"That was the past. It was before you met me. There is nothing I can do about that. We can only look to the future, and in my future I want you in it."

"Why? I don't get it. I am not some supermodel with money. I have to juggle two jobs, bills, school, money, a baby, and so many other things right now. Why do you want me?"

"Because you are different. All the girls I know are shallow and use men for money. You don't need a man and that is what makes you attractive."

"Before I got pregnant. Most guys used to say it was my butt." She joked as they pulled up to the front of her apartment. "You were so nice for offering to give me a ride home. At least you can come in and have something to drink?"

He glanced at the clock. "I have time. Why not?" Walking up the steps he fell more in love with this woman. How could she walk up the stairs carrying an extra twenty pounds on her? When he could barely walk up when it was just him.

As soon as she got to her apartment she stopped as she saw all of her belongings outside of her door. Her couch, television, mattress, dresser, everything from the cabinet in the bathroom was in one box, her books were in another box, her clothes were in three boxes, and her extra things. "What the hell is this?" She asked to no one in particular as walked over to all of her things.

"Have you been paying the rent?" Owen asked looking at all of her belongings.

"I was a couple of months behind for a while. He didn't even give me a warning that he was going to kick me out. Can he do this to me?" She asked looking at all of her things.

"It depends what it says on your lease to the apartment." He replied.

"I never actually read that thing. I just signed and got my apartment." She felt so stupid and embarrassed. "What am I supposed to do now? I am four months pregnant and have no place to live. What is going to happen when I actually have this baby?"

"Do you have the money to pay all of the backup rent?"

She nodded her head no. "All of my money went into the bills that I had to pay. I am so stupid. I should have paid my rent first, then all of my bills. But those bill collectors were bombarding me. I thought my landlord would have given me a notice before he kicked me out. I could have came up with the money somehow."

He could see that she was holding back tears. "If you need you can stay with me? It's only a one bedroom apartment. But you can have the bed and I will sleep on the couch. And anything I have is yours. It's not that much. Just a roof over your head, a place to eat, and a pot to piss in."

"No, way. You have already done to much for me. I will find some place else to live."

"You can stay just for tonight. It will be like a late Christmas present."

She nodded her head no. "I will stay with Rachel."

"What are the chances that she will be home? You know Rachel she might be with some guy and never come home. You can stay with me just for tonight. We will leave all of your stuff in my car, and tomorrow I will take everything over to Rachel's apartment. When we know she's home."

"I am paying you back for this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the tips that she got. It was supposed to be for food, but she had a big lunch, and skipping a meal couldn't be that bad for the baby. "Here." She handed it out.

"I refuse to take your money. You keep it. You will be needing it with that little one on the way." He pointed to her stomach with a smile. "Now, you get inside the car and crank up the heat. And I will begin to load it up with all of your stuff."

"I am going to pay you back. I promise."

"Your company is enough. Now get into the car." He ordered sarcastically.

She laughed and walked down the steps into his car. Her heart was telling her to go for this guy, but her mind was telling her he was like all of the rest.


	5. There's the Good and the Bad

_**Chapter 5: ****There's the Good and the Bad**_

_Peyton's eyes opened slightly as she gained back conciseness. Her eyes opened all the way as she noticed that the doctor was holding a baby inside of his arms. "Is she here?"_

_"She is a little small, but she is healthy." Doctor Narayan told her as he handed her the baby girl. _

_As she held the baby her heart filled up with pride and joy. A tear ran down her cheek from all of the emotions. "Welcome to the world Cecelia Anna Scott." She breathed as she looked at her._

_The baby lifted its puny arm and yawned. _

_"She is perfect." Peyton purred as she continued to look at her. Her eyes had not opened yet, but she could tell that her hair was going to be blond like hers. _

_"I must say. Most babies do not make it when they are that small. However she was a fighter. We had her on a machine for about two hours and she learned to breathe on her own."_

_"She is just like her father." _

_Nurse Lucy walked in with a lot of balloons. "This all came from the family members. They are all downstairs awaiting to see the little one." She told Peyton as she placed the balloons on the side of her hospital bed._

_"Where is Lucas?" _

_"It took us a while to contact him, but he is on his way. You gave us quite a scare there." Doctor Narayan stated as he looked at all of the machines that she was hooked up to. He had to check on her constantly._

_"How long have I been out for?"_

_"A couple of hours. You should really thank your sister-in law and that girl for bringing you in just in time. If it wasn't for them you and Cecelia might have been dead." _

_"I was such a jerk to them too. Can they come in to see me?"_

_"No, I think the best thing for you to do is relax and rest. Your body has been through a lot today." Doctor Narayan told her as he motioned for the nurse to take the baby. "We will take Cecelia into the intensive care unit. Everything is fine for now, but we have to make sure it stays that way."_

_Reluctantly she nodded her head and let Lucy take the baby from her. It was hard considering that she had not been there when she had given birth to her._

_"Now just lay back and fall asleep. We need you to stay calm and you are the calmest when you are asleep." _

_Nodding her head again she laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. This day was the most perfect day in the world, she ha a beautiful baby girl to call her own._

"Peyton? Peyton?" She heard a voice from afar. She opened her eyes and in front of her was Lucas. She stood up quickly which wasn't a good idea considering her body felt like it had just been hit by a truck.

"Calm down. You need to rest your body." He said gently pushing her back down.

"How'd you get here?" The weakness in her voice scared herself. A moment ago she had been talking just fine. Or was that all just a dream?

"I have been here for hours." He told her.

"How long have I been out?"

"For about twelve hours. When you got here they told me that they had to do an emergency c-section. You were already passed out, but they still gave you anaesthetic to make sure you didn't wake up in the middle of the surgery."

"But it was to early for me to give birth. Why didn't they just give me something to stop the contractions?"

"It was to late for that. By the time you had already gotten here, you were already five centimeters dilated. It was either they gave you a c-section and you lived or not and you die."

"What about the baby? Where is she?" Her whole body was aching from her waste down. She was sure that she would not be able to walk for a couple of days. Pushing herself up on the bed with her arms she looked around.

Lucas' head hung down in shame. He wasn't sure if he could be the one to tell her this. He had not gotten over the grief himself yet. "I am sorry to be the one to have to tell you this, but..."

"Lucas don't you dare. You better stop joking around and bring her to me. I saw her okay. I saw her!" She screamed.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw her in my dreams. She was small and was really pink, but the doctor said that she was healthy. You better tell me that she is intensive care and we will be able to see her once I get my strength back."

His eyes welled with tears and his chest began to beat fast. "I wish I could say the same thing, but in reality she didn't make it."

The words that no mother would ever like to hear about their child were just said to her. It was as though her life was about to end. Just yesterday she was looking at her baby girl on a monitor, and today she was gone? How was that possible? Why did this have to happen to her? She broke down crying.

"It's okay. It's going to be alright." Lucas told her as he hugged her tightly. "She is in a better place now."

"It wasn't fear. She never even got to experience life. All I had to do was carry her for nine months and give birth to her and I couldn't even do that right." She cried into his chest.

"She was living for a while. They put her on a machine so that she could breathe for a while. But she was so premature that all of her organs were not able to function properly and she just shut down."

"Did you get to see her?" Peyton came from off of his chest and looked into her husbands eyes.

He nodded his head yes. "You would have loved her Peyt. She was going to have blond hair, you could already tell. She was very small though and her skin was translucent kind of. I got to stick my hand in there and feel her. She was really bony."

"Did you name her?"

He nodded his head yes. "Cecelia Anna Scott just like we had planned. I think that name fit perfectly for her. She kind of moved when I told it to her." He smiled thinking of the good memory.

Her heart began to hurt even more. She was in a deep sleep while her daughter had her only moments on earth. It made her feel like an even worse mother. "Who else got to see her?"

"Me, my mom, and your dad. He is in the waiting-room with balloons and stuff."

"Do they know that she is dead?"

He nodded his head yes. "They were all there when the doctor came in and told me."

She was done talking about this. She turned over in her bed and began to cry. The pain in her body didn't even matter. The pain in her heart hurt way worse. All she wanted to do was kneel over and die. The one thing that women were put on this earth for was to have children, and she couldn't even keep hers alive.

Lucas thought about getting her to talk about it, but he knew she just needed some space to think. So he pulled the covers over her body to her shoulder. Then he walked out slowly and quietly.

Part of her thought that it was her fault, but the other part thought it was his fault. He was stressing her out with all of his calling, Haley's conversation didn't help either, neither did Mia's attitude. Maybe if she would have never put the phone inside of the draw, then the paramedics would have been able to come in time to save her baby. It all came back to her though. She had signals from her body that she was working to hard, but she ignored them. And now instead of being inside her warm bed, feeling her daughter kick her. She was in a cold hospital bed, after her daughter was cut out of her and dead.

* * *

_**New York:**_

"So let me get this straight. He offered you a ride to your apartment, then after you got evicted he offered you to stay with him, and then he brought all of your stuff to my apartment?"

"I know that it sounds a bit far fetched, but yes." Brooke told her as she ate her pancakes at the dinner table.

"And you have never gave him anything?"

"Well, not sexually. I offered him money and he wouldn't take it. He says that my company makes him so happy. I wish that I could believe that, but with all of the dickheads I have come around I am skeptic."

"He knows that you are pregnant, right?"

"Rachel!"

"I am sorry, but it is really getting to me. Here is this perfect guy and you are standing around waiting for him to mess up. Why don't you just date him?"

"Besides the obvious reason. Because I have no time for a boyfriend right now. Maybe if I was settled in an apartment, knew how I was going to afford my way through things, and didn't have a baby on the way."

"When do you ever think that is really going to happen?"

Shrugging her shoulders she looked down at her food. "I am hoping that after I finish college, I can get a job that pays and has benefits."

"Well, I hate to be the barrel of bad news, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. You want to be in fashion. That is one of the hardest things to become. You never really have a steady paycheck with that type of business."

Sighing she continued to look at her plate. "I know. I guess I should really start to do something that will happen. Especially since I have this baby on the way. It's just that when I was younger that is all I ever wanted to do."

"Things change. I also bet when you were younger. You thought you were going to have a big house, be married before you had kids, would have a butler, and have money."

"When did you become so good at this?"

"I'm telling you it is Mike. That guy is wise."

"Sounds like you are starting to have a thing for Mike. Could he be somewhere in your future?" She made fun as she stood up and put her dirty plate in the sink.

"Ewww...as much as I love your taste in men. Mike is like family. Plus, I am his employee. He isn't like that."

"Are you sure that is what you believe? Or is it that Mike keeps telling you that?" She asked laughing as soon as she noticed that she had caught her.

"Then there is also the minor factor that he has two kids and an ex-wife."

"So? You might not be the motherly type, but you won't really be their mother. More like the girl that is doing their father. You never know what might happen, until you try.

"Don't you have class?"

"Yes, I do. But if I were you. I would think about what I just said." Brooke went over to the other side of the living room. Picked up her book bag. Then walked out of the apartment.

_**2 Hours Later:**_

"Okay, class. I think that will be all for today. Until tomorrow I bid you ado." Professor Houser waved to her students as they all began to leave the classroom. "Brooke? Can you come here for a second?" She called out as her other students left.

Her stomach began to feel tight with the call of her name. Flashbacks of high school came back to her. Every single time a teacher called her name it wasn't usually a good thing. She walked down the steps of the classroom and down to the stage where the Professor taught. "Yes?"

The tall, skinny, African American woman reached into her briefcase and pulled out her papers. "It seems as though you have been getting a bit flashy with your designs?" She held out the clothing designs that she had given her students for a project earlier in the week.

"I thought that maybe the designs needed a little more spice to them." She shrugged her shoulders as she stared at her designs. She thought that they were perfect.

"I must admit they are very well drawn. However this was not the project that I assigned."

"I am sorry Ms. Houser. If you really want I will do the project all over again." Her book bag was around her shoulder and she played with the strap out of nervousness.

"There is no need Ms. Davis." She placed the designs back into her briefcase and then looked at her desk. Feeling a little compassionate all of a sudden she put her suitcase down on her desk. "Follow me."

Brooke did as she was told and followed her into a door that was on the far right side of the stage area. Walking in there was another desk, some book shelves, a refrigerator, a microwave, a couch, and a computer.

"Please sit." She motioned to the couch.

Sitting down on the leather couch she began to feel even more nervous.

"There is nothing to worry about." Professor Houser told her seeing the look of confusion and nervousness in her eyes. "I am not here to get you in trouble or anything. I have to talk to you about a proposition."

"Is it about the payments? I know that I fell behind a little this month, but..."

"It's not about that either."

Becoming even more confused she sat back in the couch and prepared for the worst. Every single time her life was going okay, something bad happened. It seemed as though the devil was just waiting for her to be happy, just so that he could bring her down again.

"I see that you are pregnant."

Nodding her head quietly she looked at her teacher. 'Could they kick her out for being pregnant?' She thought to herself.

"I am going to share something with you as a young mother. Not your teacher."

"I won't tell." She began to become intrigued. Sitting up on the couch she looked at her teacher. Her long black hair was flowing down her back, her skinny fingers were going up and down as she taped on her desk.

"When I was your age believe it or not I was pregnant with my second child."

"Really?"

She nodded her head yes. "I had my first son when I was eighteen, and my second son when I was twenty-two." She showed her a picture of her two boys that were on the desk.

"They are so cute."

"They are both married with children." Professor Houser teased back as she put the picture where it was before. "When I was your age, I had nothing. It was hard for me and if it wasn't for my old Professor. I would not be where I am today."

"Who?"

"You might know him. His name is Professor Nelson."

"Sorry, but I don't."

"It's quite alright. Anyway, the point that I am trying to make is. I want to help you."

"Are you going to give me money?"

"No, I am going to switch you into an advanced class. But you have to do well for me. You are one of my best students. I have complete faith that you will do good in that class."

"What's the difference between that class and this class?"

"Besides the fact that if I recommend it for you it is free. It will help you graduate faster. In about four months to be exact."

"So I will have my fashion degree before the baby comes? And I will stop having to pay tuition." Her voice came out more excited then she had planned. She really wanted it to come out thankful.

Nodding her head she smiled. She loved doing good for the students that deserved it. "You have to promise that you will not tell anybody that I did this for you. Then all of my students will want me to recommend them."

"Don't worry I won't." She squealed standing up and running over to her teacher. She hugged her tightly. "Oh thank you. You have know clue how much I really needed this right now."

"Actually, I think I might. Your first class starts tomorrow. If you do everything you are supposed to do you will be graduating in May."

"Well, this baby isn't due until the end of June." The brunette rubbed her stomach and then ran out of the room with a new burst of energy. She had a feeling though things were going to good to be true. There was no way that this was actually happening to her.

"Oh and Ms. Davis?" Professor Houser called out from the threshold of her office.

"Yes?" Brooke asked as she took her book bag off of the stage floor and looked at her.

"Try not to add anything to the projects that they give you."

"I won't." She chuckled and walked out of the classroom.

* * *

_**Tree Hill:**_

"Peyt?" Mr. Sawyer walked in with flowers in his hand. He saw something under the covers move and a face popped up. Happy to see that she wasn't gone to the world he sat on the bottom of her bed.

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

"I got a call that my daughter needed me. You know I hopped right in my car and drove as fast as I could to come and see you." Placing the flower on a stand by the bed he touched them briefly.

"Did you see her?"

"Cecelia?"

She nodded her head solemnly.

"Yes, for a second. They let me and Karen go in. She was amazing."

Her heart filled with a little resentment toward her dad. "Was she happy? For her few moments on earth." Her voice was shaky and distorted. All she could think about was her baby. It was as though she was going crazy.

"From what I can see. She had the best time with the little time on earth that she had. Then some people have a whole lifetime. How could she not? Do you see her mom." He reached his hand under her chin and rubbed it slightly.

"You used to do this to me all the time when mom first died."

"She would be so proud of you. The way that you are handling yourself right now." He smiled. Even though she was not his by blood, Peyton reminded her a lot of his wife. It was as though she was put on earth just to make him happy.

"No, she wouldn't. I hated Ellie for most of my life. Because I thought that she didn't care about me. At least Ellie was able to give birth to me. I can't even carry my baby to term."

"It wasn't your fault." He said in a soothing voice.

"You always say that. You said that when mom died. But the truth is her death was my fault and so was the death of my baby! I am a selfish bitch and if I weren't alive then the two of them would be."

"Don't say that. It isn't true."

"Really? I needed mom to come and get me so bad from school. I could have walked or taken a bus, but I wanted her to come and get me. If she hadn't been on her way to pick me up, she would have never gotten hit by that car. And she would be here for you."

"You don't know that."

"No, but what I do know is I needed Mia's album done. The doctor told me that my blood pressure was high, Lucas tried to get me to come home, and even Haley tried to get me to see that I was being selfish. I didn't listen and that is why she is about to be six feet under the ground and not in my arms!"

"You can't blame yourself for that. All that we know is that people die. It is not your fault that guy was drunk and hit your mother. It also isn't your fault that you had high blood pressure. It might run in your blood line."

"I know that you are trying to help, but I really need some time to myself. Can you just please leave?" Her voice was filled with unworthiness. Her face was as pale as ever, and it looked distraught.

He nodded his head quietly. It hurt him to his soul that he was not able to help her. Since she was born his daughter had a tough life. For a second he knew that life was going to good. She was happily married, had gotten over the death of both of her mothers, and was starting a recording studio.

"And dad. Can you please tell everybody, I appreciate them coming to see me, but I really am tired. So please don't interrupt my sleep."

"Sure."

* * *

**_Bar:_**

Rachel was cleaning the counter off. It was pretty dead and all they had was an old man singing on the karaoke machine.

"Brooke Davis is late again." Mike walked in frustrated as he looked down at his chart. He had a chart that listed all of his employees names on it, and their shifts. If they were late there was an x near their name, and if they were on time or early there was a check.

"She is probably at the free clinic again today. Ever since she found out that she had high blood pressure, she wants to make sure that the baby is okay. I am sure that she will be here any second."

"I know that she is one of your best friends." He nodded his head no as he walked into the door for employees only. "The truth of the matter is that I have a bar to run. I can't just keep letting her off the hook."

Sighing she rolled her eyes. "What is with you?"

"What do you mean?" He asked looking behind him. He was sure that she was not talking to him.

"You can never have fun. Why does everything have to be work, work, work?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me?"

"Rachel, unlike you I have kids to think about. I can't just let people off of the hook. If I did then there would be complete chaos. If things go into a complete chaos who is going to pay child support for me, or cloth my children?"

"I get it now." Finally understanding his way of thinking.

"What?"

"The real reason why you don't want to date me." She through the rag on the floor she was using to clean off the counters. "You are scared of introducing me to your children."

"No, I am scared that if I date one of my employees, will make me look like a bad boss."

"So you are saying that you have never done anything with one of your employees? Never even looked at them the wrong way?"

"Well of course, I am a straight male. But I have morals."

"Yeah, and one of them is not to bring slutty woman, who you think are not motherly, near your children."

"What are you talking about."

"We have been flirting for like three months now. I can see it in your eyes that you like me, and you are the boss. So if we date then you can just tell everybody to mind their own damn business. So stop using that as an excuse." She walked over to him pointing a finger to him. "The real reason that you is because you don't want to introduce me to your kids."

"What do you want me to say? You're right?"

"Am I?"

He took a deep breath, and instead of answering he took her finger. Feeling her anger melt away. He pulled her toward him. Her breast touching his chest. Putting one arm around her waist and the other directly under her chin. He kissed her seductively.

Pulling away reluctantly she looked into his brown eyes. "What are we doing?"

"I don't know, but I have wanted to do it for the longest time." He replied out of breath.

Smiling a little she pressed her lips against his again. This time she did it so hard that they fell on the floor. Laughing she stayed on top of him and kissed him slowly.

He flipped her over, causing her red pony-tail to fly up and smack down. He heard a gasp and turned around to find Brooke, standing near the door with her hand covering her mouth.

"I am so sorry." She laughed, and walked back out.

Mike got off of Rachel and stood up. "I think we should get back to work."

A little pissed with her friends timing. She stood up. "Whatever, you say boss." She sarcastically said. She made sure she walked out a couple of minutes after him.

"I see you took my advice." Brooke said giving her a 'you are dating the boss' smile.

"Yes, and if I were you. I'd take mine and go out with Owen. He really does like you."

"Ok, but since you are dating the boss. Do you think you can talk to him about all of my lateness'?"

"Don't worry. I got you." She winked her right eye. Then went over to the group of women that just walked into the bar.


	6. Life Moves On

_**Chapter 6: Life Moves On**_

Rachel unlocked the door to her apartment in a hurry. Slightly slamming the door behind her. Forgetting to even lock it, she ran into her spare room which was being used as the room where her friend was staying in. Turning on the light she looked at her friend.

"What the hell are you doing?" Brooke asked sleepily as she turned over in the bed and looked at her friend with a look of anger. "I have graduation tomorrow."

"I know, but something more important has come up." Her voice was filled with happiness. "Guess what Mike did tonight?"

"If you woke me up, to tell me that you got laid, I am going to kill you." The brunette told her friend with no hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"No, why would I wake you up in the middle of the night to tell you that?"

"I don't know Rach. Why do you do half the things you do?" She was still half asleep. Her body was covered in a sheet. She had three pillows. One behind her head, the other behind her neck, and the last was right behind the small of her back. It was now May, and she had just entered the middle of her third trimester. But the baby that she was carrying was big. It was already 8 pounds and she was only in her eighth month.

Rolling her eyes she put a big smile on her face. Then lifting up her right hand she squealed. "He asked me to marry him!"

Brooke who was not as excited about the situation as she was. Looking at her with a look of disbelief. "And you said 'yes?"

"Why not? We have known each other for about two years, and we have been dating for four months."

"You are his employee first of all. Then there is the fact he has an ex-wife and kids, he is older, and you are not ready to be a wife and stepmother. You haven't even met his kids yet!"

"I am sure they will love me. All kids love me. I will be the fun and hip step-mom. They will be able to come to me for anything. He is not that much older only about seven years. That isn't bad. And I can still work for him even though I will be his wife."

"You have it all figured out? Rachel, not to be mean or anything, but you are not a full adult."

"Are you kidding me? I am twenty-two. I can drink, drive, and vote. I am an adult."

"Technically, yes. But you still have the mindset of a sixteen year old. You have never really had to worry about anybody, but yourself since you were born. Now you are taking in him and three boys."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to ruin this for me? I love him and he loves me. Not just because I am pretty and good in bed. But because of what is inside me."

Feeling tired and exhausted she gave up. "I am happy for you. I really am. You have my blessings."

"Thanks." She went over to her and patted her on her hand. "Since we are getting married. We are going to have to live together."

"When is he moving in?" Her raspy voice was filled with annoyance. It had took her about two hours to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Between the baby kicking her, her back hurting, and her swollen ankles being elevated. Now her friend was keeping her up.

"Actually we talked about it. And it would make more sense if I moved in with him. He has more space. For when he gets the kids and everything. Which is every other holiday and during the summer. Plus, he is closer to the bar and his rent is more reasonable."

"So what are you saying?"

"I told my landlord I'd be leaving in a week. I know that doesn't give you much time, but it was the best I can do."

"Where am I supposed to go? Are you really going to leave me out there pregnant? For a guy? I have been in your life way longer then he has, and I have helped you through a lot."

"I know, but you have been living here. Rent free for the past four months. I love you and all. But I can't keep supporting you. It is time for me to live my life."

"Don't you mean it's time for your dad to stop supporting me? You know I have been using my checks so that I can pay for the hospital bills. Do you know how much it costs to give birth?"

"I am sorry Brooke. I really am. I hope that you can forgive me. If you really need, I can help you find a place to stay. It'll probably be a very poor living space for a baby though."

"No, it's fine. I should have known not to trust anybody. I don't know why I even let myself think that. I'll find a place on my own. I will pay all the bills on my own. I will do everything alone."

"Why don't you go to your father?"

"Yeah, right. I will never go back to that man and beg him for money. He told me after I won the court case that I would be back for his money. I can't prove him right."

"Well, it isn't about proving him right. It is more about the baby. If she needs something to eat and you have no way of getting it. I'd respect you more if you begged your father for money, then let your child sit there and starve."

"That won't ever happen. I am graduating tomorrow, and I will go job hunting right after that. Maybe they won't notice that I am pregnant if I wear something baggy on the interview."

"Thanks for understanding. You really are a great friend."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and tried to become comfortable again. The whole night she had been tossing and turning. It was scary. Not knowing what the future held for her and her baby, but she would have to find a way somehow.

* * *

_**Tree Hill:**_

Nathan stared at the ceiling as he laid in bed. His wife was sleeping profoundly next to him. For some odd reason, he couldn't get the thought of today pictures out of his mind. They had the funeral for Cecelia, and the casket was as big as a shoe box. He could hear the sounds of the rain hitting the roof and the clock clicking from outside in the hallway. All he could think about was, 'that could have been anybody'. Jaime could walk out in the road and get hit. Just because he is a kid does not mean he is not able to die. Getting frustrated with himself he got out of bed carefully, trying not to wake Haley. His bare feet hitting the wood floor. He walked out of his room. His original plan was to go down to the kitchen, but once he was about to pass his sons room he couldn't help but stop.

Cracking the door just a little he looked inside. In the darkness he could see this little bump in the bed and the covers moving up and down. Indicating that he was asleep and alive. The brunette smiled and very quietly shut the door to his sons room. Walking down the stairs he felt a weird breeze. Making his way to the kitchen he got out some milk. Right when he was about to pour a glass there was a light knock on the door. It scared him and caused him to jump. Putting the carton down he went over to the door and saw his brother soaked and shivering.

He quickly opened it and let him in. "Dude, what the hell happened to you?"

His body was shaking vigorously, his clothes were heavy and tight, and his hair was dripping water onto the wood floor. "Peyton." Were the only words that he could say.

Laughing he heard a gasp from down the steps.

"What the hell happened?" Haley asked as she walked down the stairs and looked at the sight in front of her.

"Peyton." Nathan answered for her. "What are you doing up?"

"I noticed that you weren't in bed when I turned over. So I came down here to find out if you were okay. But I think Lucas is in way worse shape then you are."

"I'm...okay..really." He stuttered from being so cold.

"Go into the bathroom and take of your clothes. Nathan go and find some clothes from our room. Hurry before this guy catches ammonia." She instructed looking at the two of them. They both just stood there. She snapped her fingers hard and they did what they were told.

_**20 Minutes Later:**_

Nathan was watching television when his brother came down wearing his clothes. He couldn't help but chuckle underneath his breath. His clothes were to big and very noticeable at that.

"You might be bigger, but don't forget who is older." Lucas warned as he walked over to the kitchen and looked through the cabinets.

Getting off the couch he went over to his kitchen. "Where is Haley?"

"She went back to sleep." His voice had no emotion in it. All he could think about was all the events that happened earlier today. It had been the worst day of his life.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There is nothing really to talk about." He replied as he gave up on the food. Feeling really stressed he went over to the refrigerator and got a beer bottle out.

"You are lying."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because it is three o'clock in the morning, and you are drinking a beer. I was like that too. Back when I messed up my knee and stopped playing ball. Those were the darkest days of my life."

"There is not much to talk about. Peyton just thinks that I blame her for Cecelia's death." With the thought of the fight creeping back into his mind, the alcohol was screaming for his body. He took a big gulp.

"Do you?"

"Why the hell do you care? Look man if I fucking wanted a lecture, I would've went to my mothers house." He slammed the beer on the marble kitchen counters. "I won't drink anymore. There you happy?"

"Sorry. If you want the guest room is all of yours."

"I'm not tired."

"I know what you mean. I can't get the picture of the funeral out of my head either."

Taking a deep breath he looked at his brother. "Can we just not talk about it? I really need a break."

"Yeah, how about some 2k9?"

"Sure. Whatever."

* * *

_**New York The Next Day:**_

"Ewww.." The brunette sighed in disgust as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her blue graduation gown and her hat.

"Damn, you look like you are about to explode." Rachel taunted as she walked into the room.

"Thanks, I already thought that I looked like a big blue tent." Brooke replied irritated. "I can't believe I just started my third trimester. Imagine what I am going to look like in my last month?"

"Then instead of a big tent, you will look like an enormous elephant." She laughed at her own joke.

"Kind of like you did before daddy paid for your tummy tuck."

Rachel stopped laughing and shut her mouth. For once she didn't have a comeback. "Anyway, have you thought about names for her?" Changing the conversation.

"Actually yes. I like Caroline, Cassie, Michelle, Diane, and Jane." Her tone switched from witty to motherly as she stroked her stomach. "But I have decided not to choose a name until I see her. She may not look like any of those names."

"All those names are nice, but none of them are better then Rachel."

"You are really pushing it here. You are lucky that after you are kicking me out, that I am still letting you be the Godmother."

"You are the best person in the world. And even though you don't really have the best role model. You will be a great mother." Her voice was nothing but sincere as she said it.

"Thank you Rach."

"Now, that we are done with this little heart to heart. Lets say we go to your graduation?"

"I say let's. Can you believe that I will finally have my fashion degree?"

"Yes I can. You might not be the best student, but you have always had a passion for fashion."

Laughing she left the apartment with her friend.


	7. Fears

**_Chapter 7: Fears _**

It was June 3rd of 2009. Brooke who was already hot from the packing and carrying a baby was now tired from the heat.

"So you are packing your belongings to go nowhere?" Owen asked as he put a lamp inside of a cardboard box. He looked at her. Her hair was in a messy bun, sweat was glistening down her face, and her baby bump was popping out of her T-shirt. Even this scene made her look beautiful.

"No, I'm going to stay at Mike's for a couple of days. Then he told me that his cousin has a friend who needs a roommate."

"So you are going to move in with a complete stranger?" His voice tone was a little unsure. As much as he hated to admit it to himself he loved this girl. The only reason he had not invited her to stay at his apartment was the fear of rejection.

"Well, there is nowhere else to go. It's either that or a shelter. And I have been there before and I promised myself that I would never go back." Her voice was weak and irritated. She went over to the bed and tried to pick up the mattress. As soon as she got it up, there was a sharp pain in her abdomen, followed by a dull pain in her lower back. Dropping the mattress down she crouched over and moaned.

"Are you all right?" Owen asked really concerned as he went over to her and helped her over to one of the boxes.

Brooke sat down and the pain slowly faded away. "I'm fine. It's the baby's way of telling me that I am working to hard. That's all." She looked up at him with her big brown eyes. "Can you get me some water?"

"Sure." He stated quickly. Leaving the room and entering the kitchen, he got a glass cup out of a box, and poured some tap water inside of it. Then he reentered the room and handed it to her. "Are you sure that was all it was?"

"Not really, but it could just be a false alarm. You know the body's way of preparing for birth." The brunette took a sip of the cold water.

"Was that your first one?"

"No, I have had a couple for the past couple of hours. They are really irregular. And plus the baby is not due for another two weeks. There is no way that the baby is coming."

"If you want I can take you to the doctor. It is your first baby."

"I know what I am doing. I have read all of the books. Trust me, if this baby was coming I would know." She replied confidently. Feeling normal she stood back up. Then she felt a warm sensation followed by something wet coming down her leg.

Owen looked at her as if she had five heads. He never had any children so nothing like this had ever happened to him before. "What the... What is that?" His finger was pointing to the wetness on the floor.

"My water just broke." Her raspy voice was filled with fear. Tears began to come down her face. She was not ready for this at all. Not only did she not have a place for a baby, but she was scared of giving birth. It was unknown territory to her.

"Which means?"

"This baby is coming." All of a sudden another pain hit. It felt a little worse then a menstrual cramp, but the fear of what was to come made it worse. Holding her stomach she tried to practice the breathing exercises that she had learned at Lamaze class. It helped a little, but the pain was definitely still there.

"Oh my god." He replied in a panic. Rushing over to her, he scooped her up. "Don't worry, I will get you to the hospital."

"What about my bags?"

"I'll call Rachel. She will get your bags for you later." He replied as he walked down the steps as fast as he could. Once he hit the lobby he began to jog to his car. He was glad that he kept himself in shape for the ladies.

Brooke had not felt this safe since Lucas held her in his arms. For once she had not thought of Owen as an annoying friend, but a cute guy. Who had some potential of being a boyfriend.

He placed her in the passengers seat gently. Then ran over to the drivers seat and pulled away like a maniac. "You'll be fine. Just do the breathing exercises they taught you in Lamaze class."

"It's times like this that make me wish I had gone to the class more then once." She was trying to cover up the fact that she was scared shitless by being sarcastic.

"Why did you only go once?" He asked as he honked his horn at the people in front of him to move out the way. Although Brooke did not seem to be in much pain. He wanted her out of his car and in the care of Doctor's.

"I felt weird in there. All of the married couples with their happy faces. Plus, who in the world needs to be taught how to breathe? I thought it was a complete waist of my time."

"I guess you are going to think differently next time."

"What next time? There is never going to be a next time. I promised myself no more kids. Unless I am in a happy, healthy, and committed relationship. And since I am Brooke Penelope Davis. I am pretty much sure that is never going to happen."

"You never know. Not all guys are jerks. Maybe you are looking in all the wrong places. The guy for you might be right around the corner." He replied as he slowly stopped at a stop light. In New York City there was always traffic. He had a feeling it was going to take a couple more minutes to get there.

Shrugging her shoulders she looked out the window. It was funny how for most women, the birth was their main concern. As for her it was after the birth. Where was she going to go? She had nothing for her baby yet. She still had no clue if the baby was going to have her last name or Lucas'.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, like I said my contractions are really irregular. Sometimes they come close together, and sometimes they are further apart."

"I have no clue what any of that means, but as long as you are not having a baby in my car. I'm fine with that."

She began to chuckle, but then another one came. Trying to focus on something other then the pain, she stared straight ahead at the cars in front of them. It helped take the edge off a bit. There was no doubt in her mind that drug-free wasn't for her. This pain was hard to deal with and she had a new respect for her mom. Any woman has to feel something for their child to go through this.

Letting go of the breaks a little more, he tried to weave in and out of lanes. Starting every new contraction he could see her becoming more and more uncomfortable. "We are only a few blocks away."

Brooke heard the words, but was afraid that if she answered her focus would be switched, and then the pain would hit her even harder. So she nodded her head. About three seconds later the contraction faded and she was back to no pain. "This is going to be a long day."

* * *

_**Tree Hill:**_

"I'm so fucking tired of you! I just give up. I can never win." Lucas screamed back at his wife. They were standing in front of the front door. His sneakers were on and his face was turning red from the argument.

"That's it you pussy. You always give up. Maybe I should have gotten a man that could stand his ground with me. Then we would have Cecelia now. Instead of six feet under the ground!"

"You are crazy. I argue with you and we fight. Then I let you win and we still fight. That's it I can't take this shit anymore!" He went into the kitchen for a second then came back with a six pack. "I am going to Nathan and Haley's."

"Of course your going to their house. Where the hell else would you go? You fucking dumbass." The blond watched as her furious husband walked out and slammed the door behind him. Once she heard him leave she went into the kitchen. In the fruit-basket that they had on the counter, she got a match.

Then she went into the living room, and in the creases of the couch she got her cigarettes. She put one in her mouth, lit the match on fire, and lit the cigarette. Inhaling the toxic in her mouth deeply felt like nothing in the world was wrong. Then she exhaled it out.

Just as she was about to take another puff, and the doorbell rang. She quickly tried to blow the smoke away. "Just a minute." Peyton called out as she ran over to the closest window and through the cigarette out. Then she ran over to the end table and grabbed the air freshener as she walked over to the door.

"What took you so long to answer the door?"

"I don't know. Why don't you.." She said with an attitude. But paused once she saw who it was. She couldn't wrap her mind around who was in front of her.

"What no hug for an old friend?" He asked as he opened his arms.

Without even thinking she went in for a hug. Feeling as though she was on cloud 9. The rush of her body touching his, was better then the up she got from smoking cigarettes.

"I have been waiting for that since I thought about coming back." He replied as he let her go. "Where is Lucas?"

"Over Nathan and Haley's. Please, come in." She invited him in. "Where is Jenny?"

"I took her over Karen's. So she could play with Lily." Jake entered as he was told. "I wanted her to play with somebody at least around her age. Since she never really got to when we were away."

"How old is she now?"

"She is six now. Can you believe it? Time sure flies."

"Yeah."

"I heard about the baby. I am so sorry. If anything like that had ever happened to Jenny. I really don't know what I would do. But I must say that you are taking it really well."

"Thank you. I really do appreciate it." She tried to sound appreciative, but it came out more as a blank response. "So when are you two going back?"

"We aren't. Nikki has agreed to give full custody of Jenny to me. Therefore I have decided that it would be best, if we moved back out here. So get ready to get annoyed with the two of us."

"I don't think that I can ever get annoyed with the two of you. Remember the summer before Senior year. I met you and Jenny up for the weekend. I was really happy and I even proposed to you."

"I really wanted to marry you. You would have been the perfect wife and mother to Jenny. But you were not over Lucas. You kept saying his name in your dreams."

"I was young, then. I really had no reality on life. Now I do." Walking over to the kitchen she looked behind her. "Come on, I have some cookies."

Following her he looked around the house. "You two seem to have everything going on. I can only hope that we can find a place like this before Jenny turns seventeen." He joked as he sat at the counter and took a sugar cookie.

"We have everything, but the one thing that I really want."

"What is that?"

"Kids."

Jake felt a little awkward at that moment. He put the cookie down. "Look if you really want kids, you can do a number of things to get it."

"I know, but they all seem so weird. I never thought that somebody like me would have trouble with this. I always thought only older women had problems like this. I am in my early twenties."

"That may be true, but there might be something wrong. Maybe you should wait it out a couple more years. Then if you still are having problems. Go see a doctor or just adopt."

"I don't have time."

"Yes, you do. Like you just said you are in your early twenties. You have plenty of time to have kids."

"No, I don't. If I don't get pregnant again soon. Lucas and I will be completely over."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because everything is going wrong." She whined. "He has stopped touching me, we always fight, and I am pretty sure that he is cheating on me." Nodding her head no she rubbed her head.

"Why would you think that?"

"He called me another name while we were becoming intimate, he has a 'new' tattoo, and when I went to New York a couple of months ago. He ran after a brunette."

"So you think that you getting pregnant will make him stay with you? Peyton you are a wonderful, beautiful, and smart. If you need to have a baby to keep him, then it wasn't meant to be. If I were with you. I would treat you like the Queen you are."

She looked at him. Her baby blue eyes met his brown eyes. They both just looked at one another for a moment. Then all of a sudden she started to smell something burning.

"What is that?" asked Jake as he looked around the kitchen for smoke. When he didn't see anything he got off of the chair and walked to where he smelled the burning.

Peyton followed him into the living room and there was nothing but smoke surrounding them. She was about to say something when the smoke got into her lungs which caused her to start coughing.

Jake covered his mouth and walked over to the farthest window. He tried to close it, but there was nothing but heat on it. He gasped in pain. "Peyton!" He screamed.

"I'm okay." Replied she between her coughing.

"Call the Fire Department!" It felt as though he was screaming to nothing. The smoke was so thick that he couldn't see anything. He looked out the window to see where the problem was coming from, but all he could see were flames. Seeing that the flames were about to get bigger, he began to walk the other way. As soon as he got to the hallway, he saw Peyton. Grabbing her by the arm, they ran out of the house.

* * *

_**New York:**_

"Okay, Ms. Davis. You are about three centimeters along." The nurse told her as she examined her. She took her hand out and through the glove in the garbage. "Your baby is on its way."

"That's all? I was hoping to at least be at five. Then I would be half way there."

"Well, you have to keep in mind. This is your first baby. Your body has never done this before. It's really rare that first time mothers go through labor quickly."

"Can I get an epidural for the pain?"

"I'll have to ask the doctor about that. Chances are you won't though. Since you are still in the early stage of labor. If we give it to you now, it might ware off when it really starts to become unbearable. But I could give you something to take the edge off of the contractions for now."

She nodded her head yes. Once the lady left Brooke looked over at Owen, who was just staring out the window. "You can look now, I am all covered up."

"How much more centimeters do you have to go?"

"Seven."

"Damn, this whole giving birth thing is so complicated. I thought that you just came in, had a baby, and left. Before they even gave you a room, you had to fill out a whole bunch of papers. Now you have to wait God knows how long for this baby to come."

"I used to think that too. That the lady would just go to the hospital, and have the baby. I was little though."

"I am so sorry that I am late!" Rachel barged in with Brooke's hospital bags in her hand. "You would not believe the jackass that I was stuck in back of on the freeway. I was about to get out my car and kill him."

"Glad to know your problems. But I am the one about to give birth to an eight pound baby."

"Holy shit! How did she grow so much in two weeks? I am telling you. Your daughter is not normal. Maybe you are carrying the next 'superwoman' or something."

"I highly doubt that." She laughed at her friend.

Rachel looked over at Owen who had looked like he had just seen a ghost. His skin was pale and he seemed out of it. "Why don't you get back to your normal routine, and I will call you before the baby is born?"

"Are you sure? I really don't want to leave Brooke here."

"It's okay. Nothing is going to happen to me. Thank you for taking good care of me and my baby." Brooke replied looking at him. She really wanted him to stay, but she knew he really didn't want to.

"No, problem. You know that I always got you." He went over to the windowsill and grabbed his car keys. "I will be waiting in that waiting room while the baby is being born."

"You and Mike are probably going to be the only ones."

"She might not have a big family awaiting her birth, but she will sure as hell have enough people to love her."

"I guess your right." Brooke thought as she smiled at him. Flashing her dimples. "As soon as the baby and I are all cleaned up, I want you to be the first one to come and see her."

"I'll be here. I promise." With those last words he left.

"Rachel do you mind going to find the nurse to give me my pain medication."

"Why are you feeling a contraction?"

"No, I just want my medication before another one hits."

"Okay." She got up and left the room.

With everybody gone she thought about Lucas. As much as she could not trust him to be there for their daughter. She guessed he did have the right to know. All of those other times she had lied to Rachel about calling him. She feared that he would reject the both of them or want to be the type to run in and out of their child's life. She knew what it felt like to have your parents come in and out of your life. Therefore she had avoided to call him.

Picking up the receiver of the telephone, right next to her hospital bed. She dialed his cell phone number. Her heart began to thud as she pressed the send button. Half of her would love to hear his voice again, but the other half was scared of how he might react. There was nothing on the other line and then there was that annoying lady. "The number you have tried to reach has been disconnected. Hang up and please dial again."

Putting the phone back down she was pretty heart broken. For that quick moment that there was nothing on the phone. She had a glimpse of hope that maybe he would answer, come be with her when their daughter was born, name their beautiful child, and maybe even stay with her. But that was all it was hope. Another contraction began to hit her. This time causing her back to have really sharp pain. She closed her eyes and moaned loudly. She had no clue how she was going to do this.

* * *

_**Tree Hill:**_

Nathan rushed into the hospital room where his brothers wife was at. "Peyton, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I told the stupid firemen that, but they told me they had to take me to the hospital. Hows Jake? And where is Lucas?"

"Jake is okay. He burned his hand. Not to serious though. He will just have to have it wrapped for a couple of weeks, and I have no clue where Lucas is. I thought he was in the fire with you guys?"

"No, he told me that he was going to your house." She replied suspiciously. "He was never over there?"

"Nope."

A nurse walked in and smiled at the two. "You are all set Mrs. Scott."

Peyton who was helped by Nathan hoped off of the examining table and followed her brother-in-law to the hallway. "I wonder where Lucas could be?"

"Forget about him for a second. The police told us that the fire was caused by a cigarette. Now, I am not accusing you of anything, but do you have any idea where it could have come from?"

Stopping dead in her tracks she began to feel sick. Her house was probably burned on one side and Jake had burned his hand. All because of her stupid mistake?

Her facial expression said it all to him. "When did you start smoking?"

"Can I not get a lecture by you right now? I want to go and see Jake."

"I don't think he's going to want to see you. Especially after he figures out that you are the one responsible for his hand."

"Can you just tell me what room he is in?" Her voice was filled with irritation.

"Geesh, 109.'

She looked at the gray doors. Using her brain she figured out where room 109 was. As soon as she walked through the door, she saw Jake's happy face. "Hey, how are you?"

"Good." The blond was completely taken aback by his happiness. "Why are you so happy? You just burned your hand?"

"Skin will grow back. I am just happy we made it out of there before things got really bad. Because you can't get another body."

"Does it hurt?" She asked as she went over to it and gently held it in her hand. Her throat began to close up. She felt so at fault. "This is all my fault."

"Why? You weren't the idiot that tried to close the window. I was."

"Yeah, but I was the one that started the fire."

"Get the hell out of here. Since when do you smoke cigarettes?"

"Since my life spiraled out of control and I have needed something to get my mind off of things. I am really so sorry."

"No worries. I am not dead. So there is nothing that you should be sorry about. Well, except the amount of money you will be spending trying to rebuild your house. If I were you. I would tell the insurance company that it was a freak accident."

"Why are you not screaming at me? Or telling me how stupid I am for smoking?"

"Because, I have had to grow up pretty fast. When Jenny entered my life I had a new prospective on everything. I'm not going to pretend why I think the fire happened. There are people who leave lit cigarettes everywhere, and they don't catch on fire. And whether you want to smoke or not is your business. I can tell you until I am blue in the face that they are bad for you. But if your mind is made up about them. Then what am I wasting my breath for?"

"Well, you don't have to worry about that. I don't think I am ever going to smoke again. Those few seconds of high aren't good enough to take my life. And I want kids. Smokers are at a higher risk to have pregnancy problems."

"That's good to hear. Plus, you are really pretty. Smoking will cause you to smell and you give you wrinkles really early. I don't think Lucas will appreciate having a thirty year old wife, that looks sixty something."

"It's not like he appreciates me at all." She replied lowly still holding his wrapped hand.

Using his other hand he lifted her chin up. Causing her eyes to meet his. "I appreciate your beauty."

"You always did." She smiled. For a moment her heart began to flutter, and her mind became blank. It was as though the only people in the world, were the two of them. Her breathes began to become longer.

Everything in his body was telling him no. She had a husband, but his soul was screaming for her. It was like they were in high school all over again. There had always been that love triangle. Lucas, Peyton, and Jake. He had thought that it was over for good, until that moment. Leaning into her he looked down. Her breast were squeezed on his chest. Her head was tilted up at him. Her eyes were slightly shut.\

All she could feel was his lips on hers as they kissed. Her insides tingled as his smell reentered her nose. A mix of Dove soap and baby powder. It brought back memories from when they used to date. Then she remembered 'Lucas' and quickly pulled away.

The both of them just stood there looking at the other. There chests were moving up and down quickly. "I am so sorry." He was the first to speak.

"I'm not." She replied truthfully. "Look, I got to go."

"Wait!" He called after her, but it was to late. She had already left the room.

Jogging she made her way to the lobby of the hospital. She was about to get a cab, when nobody other then Lucas walked in through those double doors. "Where have you been?"

"I'll tell you in the car. Did the doctor say you could leave?"

She nodded her head yes. "How did you know I was here? You left your phone at home. It is probably melted."

"Like I said. We will talk about it in the car. Now, please."

_**20 Minutes Later:**_

Lucas rolled up in front of the house. He had not said two words since they had left the hospital. He was to busy thinking about what he was going to say. "Peyton, we need to talk."

"We sure do. How did you know where I was?"

"Haley."

"But Nathan said that you weren't over the house."

"Just let me explain, please. And don't interrupt."

Looking a little startled by his outburst she sat back in the passengers seat of the car and looked at him. He could not make complete eye contact with her, which made her suspicious.

"I went to Nathan and Haley's house after I came from my lawyer. Haley was there and I guess she was told from Nathan all of the details of what had happened. I know you are wondering what was I doing at my lawyers. So I am just going to come right out and do this." Going into his glove compartment he took out a packet of some sort. Then he placed it on her lap with a pen. "Peyton, I want a divorce."

It was as if all of the air had been sucked out of her. She looked down on her lap and sure enough there was divorce papers. "I...Why? Haven't I been nothing but a good wife to you?" Her voice croaked from the heartbreak.

"Yes, you have. But I have not been happy for a while. Matter of fact, I have been depressed. It has nothing to do with you. I just am not in love with you. All we do is argue, I don't ever want to touch you, and this marriage has caused me to start becoming a heavy drinker. If we don't get a divorce soon we will both end up dead early."

She nodded her head no. "I know why you are really doing this. Because I am having problems with having kids. I promise that if you stay a little while longer we will have a kid."

"It has nothing to do with that. I know that you feel it too. I think our love was 'puppy love', it was cute when we were younger. But now we are older and quite frankly I am bored. We are to much alike. There is never a spark."

"This has to do with the other girl."

He had no clue that Peyton even knew about Brooke.

"Oh, come on. I might be a blond, but I am not fucking stupid. You ran after her when we were in New York. And I saw the tattoo. What is her name?"

"There was another girl, but I left her in New York. As soon as I found out you were pregnant. If it wasn't for Cecelia, then I would have been divorced you a long time ago. But she is gone and so is every bit of hope for our marriage."

"You are a bastard."

"I am trying so hard to do the right thing. We stayed together for four months after Cecelia died. I tried to give you a chance, and all you did was fight with me. I am tired."

"I am sorry. I was hurt. I had just lost my daughter!"

"Our daughter! You might have carried her for those five months, but that doesn't mean it hurt any less for me. I was the one in the hospital that had to watch her die. That hurt me to my soul and you didn't see me acting crazy."

She picked up the papers and started to flip through them harshly.

"I'm giving you the house, I will pay for the fire damages, and for the bills for your recording studio. All you have to do is sign the dotted lines."

Picking up the blue pen she put her name on all of the dotted lines that she saw. With all of the emotions in her body, you would have thought she would have been crying? But deep down she knew that it was all true. There relationship had been over for a while. She was just trying to keep him, so she could remember the old times.

"I will be staying at my mothers for a while, if you need me. I'll be there. Even though we are divorced. I still want to be your friend."

Finishing signing her last signature she stared at the papers. Opening up the car door hard, she through the papers at him, and then slammed the car door shut. Even though she was really hurt. Her mind was now relaxed. It felt good to be free.

He felt like a real jerk for the way that he acted, but all of this had been building up for months. He really did try as hard as he could to keep the marriage going, but that wasn't enough.

* * *

_**New York:**_

"Get this kid out of me!" She cried out in between a contraction. Brooke was now ten centimeters dilated. She had been pushing for over an hour and a half. Her whole body was tired. She had been in labor for fifteen hours prior to the pushing.

"Come on Brooke. You are doing wonderful. The baby is right here!" The nurses were all saying to try to get her to keep pushing. It had been a long night for them as well.

"I can't. I can't do it anymore. It hurts to much."

"Brooke, listen to me. I can see your baby right here. She has a lot of hair. Give me two really good pushes and you will be a mommy." The doctor finally chimed in.

Brooke took two really deep breathes. Then another contraction hit her. It made her feel like her insides were being ripped apart and there was really bad burning. She screamed lightly. Then took a deep breath and pushed down into her chest as hard as she could.

"The head is out." The doctor replied happily. "Okay, stop pushing." He instructed as he used a suction to get all of the fluid out of the baby and then unwrapped the umbilical cord around it's neck. "All right now Brooke. One more push and your little girl will enter the World."

Taking another deep breath she pushed really hard into her chest. Her head hurt from all of the pushing, and she was pretty sure her face was red. Her brown hair was plastered to her forehead from the sweat. "Ahhhhhhh!" She screamed while pushing. Then all of a sudden all of the pain stopped and her little girl was now on top of her stomach. "Oh my God." She replied as she held her daughter in her arms. She was so chubby and red.

The red baby girl began to let out small wales.

The doctor got the scissors and cut the umbilical cord. "Good job, Brooke."

All of the emotions of just giving birth and seeing the baby that had been growing inside of her made her cry as well. "She is so beautiful." She said with joy as she looked her up and down. The doctor was not lying. She had a whole bunch of light brown hair. Her hair was darker, but she guessed the lightness of it came from Lucas. Using her finger she put it on the baby's palm.

The baby closed it's little hands and stopped crying. Then yawned for the first time.

"Awww..." Giving birth was all worth it after she saw her. It was as though this little creation. Gave new meaning to her life.

"Brooke, I need you to push some more, so you can give birth to the placenta. And the nurses will take the baby to make sure everything is okay."

Reluctantly she let the nurses take her baby. Then she pushed to give birth to the placenta. It looked really ugly, but it really didn't hurt to give birth to it. Her whole body ached though. It felt like a truck had hit her, and rolled over and over her.

_**10 Minutes Later:**_

Brooke held her baby really close to her as she was rocked her back and forth. It was as if all of the worries that she had just melted away while holding her.

"She is so beautiful." Rachel gasped as she walked in with balloons and teddy bears.

"Just like her mother."Owen continued as he walked in behind her.

"How was the birth?" asked Rachel as she sat in a seat right next to the hospital bed.

"She gave me five stitches because she is so big and I am so small, but it was worth it. She was 8 pounds 2 ounces and 21 inches long. Born on June 4th 2009 at 2:53 a.m."

"And what about her name?" asked Owen as he gazed at her.

"Well, I have narrowed it down. And after a long debate with myself. I think I came up with the perfect name for her."

"What is it?" The redhead asked impatiently.

"Everybody say hello to, Danielle Marie Davis-Scott."

"Awww...Dani Scott." Rachel replied as she looked at her God-daughter.

Danielle moved around in her mothers arms with the sound of her name. And brushed her hand on her nose.

"I think she likes her name." Owen smiled as he looked at her.

"You want to be the first man to ever hold her?"

"I don't know. I have a fear of dropping babies."

"Oh, come on. You will be fine. Rachel fix his arms."

Rachel did as she was told and helped him.

"Now, support her head." Brooke instructed as he watched Owen hold her. "And make sure to position your hand right underneath her butt."

"Am I doing it right?"

"You are doing perfect." She beamed at the sight. Owen looked a little uncomfortable, but Danielle looked really calm. Again something she must get from her father. Her parents always complained about her being a crazy baby. Which is why she went through nannies left and right.

* * *

_**Tree Hill:**_

The fire had melted away some of the house. Mostly the spare bedroom and the living room. Construction workers had put a bag over that part of the house, and if she really needed she still had her parents house. But Lucas had taken the car and she had no way of getting over there. Tossing and turning in her bed she looked at the clock. It was past three in the morning and she was nowhere near sleep. She felt so lonely without anybody next to her.

Taking her phone off of the hook. She dialed a familiar number, that she had not called in a long time. The phone rang about three times before he answered.

"Hello?" A sleepy male voice answered.

"Hey, this is Peyton. I know that it is really late, but I am lonely. And I was wondering if..."

"I'll be over in a second."

"Thank you."

Peyton stood up in the bed and turned on the lamp. Looking around the room, she felt lonelier then ever. Looking at the dresser, she saw all of the pictures. 'Her and Lucas at senior prom, her and Lucas' wedding, and the day that they went to Disney World together.' All of a sudden her blood pressure began to rise, her palms began to sweat, and pure anger took over her.

She stood up without even thinking. Grabbing the picture of her and Lucas during Senior Prom. She looked at them. His hair was all in his eyes and his smile was genuine. He had on a black and white tuxedo. His arm was around her. She could remember that day as if it was yesterday. When the both of them were happy. A tear slid down her face. Wrapping her hands around the frame tighter and closing her eyes. With a lot of force she slammed the picture across the room onto the wall.

The frame shattered and went on the wood floor. Breathing heavily she looked at the shattered frame. Then the picture. With his smiling face on it. She grabbed it and found a pair of scissors. Using them as if she were possessed, she began to cut the picture up. It helped her hurt feeling a lot better then trying to hide it. As soon as she was done with that picture, she went into the hallway closet and through all of the pictures out. Finding all of the ones with him on them, she cut them.

Crying while cutting the pictures, she forgot that she had called Jake over. Once the doorbell rang she stood up and tried to seem normal. Once she got to the door. "Hello."

Jake hugged her as soon as she was opened the door. "I am so sorry."

Peyton broke down in his arms. "Why did he do this to me?" She cried into his chest. "I really loved him."

"I know. It's okay. I am here." He kissed her on the top of her blond hair. His hands were on the small of her back as he held her.

"How could you?"

"I felt the same way when you left me." He said lowly.

She stopped crying. Then looked up at him. "I never meant to hurt you. There was nothing that I could do about my dream. If I could. I would have chosen you."

"Don't worry about it. I got through it with the help of Jenny. I am going to be here for you."

Without another word Peyton kissed him deeply. She was unsure of how she felt about him. Or if she loved him as much as he loved her. But she was hurting and he was here.

"What are we doing?" He asked letting go of her.

"I don't know, but I know you want this as much as I do."

He couldn't fight the feeling as much as he knew that she was just using him for her sadness. But he was a man, and if a girl wanted to go there. And he liked here. There was nothing to stop them. He kissed her back.

They began to make out wildly. Jake scoped Peyton up while they were still kissing. They made up there way to the bedroom. He placed her down as they continued to kiss.

She put her leg up and around his waist. It was weird. If she really thought about it this was the bed that her and Lucas had sex countless times. Now she was about to have sex with Jake.

_**40 Minutes Later:**_

"How did you know about Lucas and I?" Peyton asked as he laid on his bare chest.

"I dropped Jenny off. So she and Lily could have a sleepover. Lucas was there in his pajamas. I thought that was weird, and he told me everything that happened. I was going to come right over and see if you were okay, but I figured you would call when you need me."

"How is he?"

"Well, he is acting like he is fine. But he is hurting inside. You can tell."

"I was hurting before you got here. I have not felt this special since I told Lucas I was pregnant."

"I told you that if I had you. You would feel like a Queen everyday."

She looked up at him. "You know there is still a couple more hours, before I have to be at work. We can have a little bit more fun, and I can still get some sleep."

"You are so naughty. I love it." He replied with a kiss.


	8. Where Does the Time Go?

_**Chapter 8: Where Does The Time Go?**_

_**(A/N: Okay, first off let me thank everybody that reviewed for this story. Second, a lot has changed since the last Chapter. I don't want to give too much away. So if you aren't clear about what is going on. Then please tell me in a review. I will be happy to tell you in an e-mail.)**_

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* * *

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Brooke awoke from the sound of her alarm clock. Scratching her head, she reached over to it and slammed the button down. Pulling the covers off of her, she stepped on to the cold hardwood floor. Making her way out of her room into the bathroom. After turning on the light she quickly made her way over to the mirror. She had small bags under her eyes, that could easily be covered with make-up. And a little slobber on the side of her mouth. Her hair was standing up on it's edges.

After having Dani she cut her hair into the bob. Just to make it more manageable. It was a lot easier to deal with, and she like it better so it stayed that way. She stepped into the bathtub quietly and started the hot shower. All of her muscles were tensed from last night. Dani had gotten a cold. So all night she was crying and coughing. Which meant Mommy Brooke had to be up all night with her.

Using her wash cloth she washed around all of the personal areas. It was all she had time for. Before she could even finish, she heard screams coming from her daughters room. Sighing angrily she rushed even more. Then stepped out and quickly put a towel around her. With her hair still wet and almost naked she rushed into the room.

"What's the matter?" She asked as she looked at her now two year old daughter standing up in the crib crying. The brunette went over to her and picked her up. Using the opposite hand she was holding her in. She felt her forehead. It was still warm.

Dani's face was turning red from crying. And little coughs slipped here and there. After her mother was done, she put her head on her mothers shoulder.

"You really want me to take off from work. Don't you?" Brooke asked as she went into the kitchen. "Well, as much as I want to. I can't. I already had to take off yesterday to take you to the doctor." Placing Dani on the counter, she went into the cupboard, and took out the medicine the doctor gave her. "Here."

"No." The toddler said nodding her head no.

"Yes." She replied as she tried to put the food full of liquid medicine in the toddlers mouth.

"Mama, no!" She squealed as she turned her head away.

"Danielle Marie Davis-Scott, if you don't open up your mouth right now!" Brooke warned.

With the sound of her full name, the toddler opened her mouth. After the medicine was in she squinted her face of dislike.

"That's it. You have been hanging around God-mommy Rachel to much." She took her daughter off of the counter, she began to undress her in the kitchen, then she placed her in the sink and ran the water.

"I see I have come at a bad time." Owen joked as he entered the kitchen with a bag of bagels and some coffee.

"Hey, honey." Brooke went over to him and gave him a short kiss on the lips. "Actually you came at a perfect time. Do you mind bathing Dani? While I go and get ready for work."

"Of course I don't." He replied happily as he put the bagels and coffee on the counter. "Hi, Dani." He said tickling her.

She began to laugh at him.

"Thanks babe. You are the best." She said as she watched the two interact. It was funny how Owen had turned into superdad. When he had first gave Dani to him, he was scared to drop her. Now he was so fatherly. Then she saw the clock and it hit her, she had to get ready from work. Going into her room she dropped her towel. Then dashed to her dresser to find a sophisticated outfit. Her dreams of being a fashion designer were put on hold. For now she had to work as a secretary.

Once she finally picked out a V-neck short sleeved black top, with a white under top, and black tie. With a long black skirt, that had a white belt attached to it. And open toed black heels. She put it on, then got to work on her hair. As soon as she had pressed it out. She looked at her jewelry-box. Opened it and took out her engagement ring. As she looked at it, she thought back to the day...

_Brooke laughed as she walked inside her apartment. Owen walked in behind her holding Dani. "That was the best movie, that I have seen in a while." _

_"It really was a good movie. I haven't seen a kid movie since I was like nine." He laughed. The sleeping baby on his shoulder moved around. "Why don't I take her to bed?"_

_"I think that is a good idea. I'll order some pizza." She said as she watched him take her daughter into the back. Still smiling she went over to the phone and dialed the pizza place on the corners number. "Hello, can I order a pick up?"_

_"What would you like?"_

_"Can I have a large pepperoni pizza and a dozen zeppelins please?"_

_"Will that be all?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Your total comes out to thirteen eighteen."_

_"Okay, thanks."_

_Owen walked right into the room as she hung up the phone. "I swear that little girl's hair gets lighter and lighter each month." He said as he walked into the room. "Did you order the pizza?"_

_"Yes, pepperoni. Your favorite." She smiled as she went over to him. "You are the best. Have I told you that?"_

_"Not in a while. But I really do appreciate it."_

_"And since you are so great. I will pay for the pizza tonight." _

_"No, I will pay for the pizza and pick it up. You know what you can do for me."_

_"What?"_

_"Go get some candles, put the radio on some slow jams, and put on something sexy." He said as he kissed her neck lightly. It was a once and a lifetime opportunity that they got the apartment to themselves._

_She purred lightly. "Why don't you go get the pizza now?"_

_"I'll be right back." He replied as he slowly took his hands off of her shoulder. And walked out the door. _

_About a half and hour later Owen walked in with the pizza, and it was exactly how he had asked. The lights were dimmed, scented candles were placed in certain spots around the living room and kitchen, Aaliyah was playing in the background, and Brooke had just walked out in a skimpy red lingerie outfit. "You look sexy."_

_"I was hoping you would say that." She giggled as she went over to him. _

_"Before we do any of that. Why don't we eat?" He asked as he held the pizza up to his chest. _

_"Okay." She replied with a weird look on her face. She had never met a guy that would like to eat before they had sex. Matter of fact, she never met a girl like that either._

_"The zeppelin's are really good today. I heard. Maybe you should start with those first." He pointed to the bag._

_"Okay." For a second she might have thought that she was trying to be poisoned, but if he really wanted to poison her. He would have had plenty of chances too. So why now? Opening up the bag she picked the first one she saw. Biting into the soft powdery treat, she felt something hard. Taking it out she saw that it was a beautiful diamond studded ring. "What is this?" She asked in surprise._

_Owen got on one knee, took her left hand, and looked up at her. "Brooke Davis, I have loved you since the first day I laid eyes on you. You are an independent, brilliant, and well-rounded woman. Even when life brought you down, you still came out on top. And I love that little girl in their as well. She is already like a daughter to me. So what I guess I am trying to say is. Why not make it official? Will you do me the honor of calling me your husband?"_

_Tears formed in the corner of her right eye. That was the sweetest thing a person had ever said to her. She hesitated a little before answering. The truth was, she still wasn't over Lucas. As much as she wanted to be. The more she looked at Dani, she saw him. But she had to face the facts. Lucas was not coming back, and Owen was here. He had been here for her more then anyone had. "Yes."_

_Taking the ring from out of her hand, he slipped it on her ring finger. Then he stood up and hugged her. "I love you. And I promise to be the best husband and father that I can be."_

_"I know you will. I know you will..."_

Slipping it back on her finger she smiled. It had been six months since that day. They had planned a beautiful Summer Wedding outside. The problem was neither of them had money for it. So they would have to save up as best they could.

She got her no-name-brand purse off of her nightstand. She through her make-up kit, keys, cellphone, and wallet into it. Then made her way out of her room. She could hear the laughter of her daughter as soon as she stepped into the hallway. She followed it into her daughters room. Once she saw her she couldn't help but laugh herself. "What have you dressed my daughter in?"

"I was trying to go for an urban mod look. What do you think?"

"I think she looks like the rainbow. I am not going to let my daughter walk around the streets with me. Looking like she is the mascot for gays." She laughed as she went through her little dresser. She found a jean skort, with a Minnie Mouse shirt that was light pink, and her pink Nike's.

"Maybe your outfit is a little better then mine."

"A little? Let's make a deal. If we ever have kids. You do the disciplining and I will do the clothes."

"Deal. You know you have so much fashion talent. It is a shame that you had to waist it all."

As she finished putting her last shoe on Dani she looked at him. "It really is a shame, but I have no choice." She looked back at her daughter. Getting a pink barrette she put up her hair. The dark hair she was born with got lighter. She was now a dirty blond. And her eyes were a dark blue. Sometimes it amazed her at how much she looked like her father.

"Do you want a ride to work?"

"No, that's okay. I'll walk. I have to go inside the Daycare to tell the teacher she is sick, anyway."

"Okay then. I am going to go back home and take a nap. Then I will call you when I get off of work." He kissed her on the cheek. "Oh and by the way. You look great in that outfit."

"Thank you." She blushed as she finished Dani's hair.

Owen left.

"Come on Sweetheart." She told her daughter as she picked her up in one arm and the stroller in the other hand. She somehow maneuvered her way down to the city streets. As soon as she got to the concrete she put Dani down. Opened up the stroller, put her daughter in it, put her purse under it, and strolled on.

"Mama, look at guy." She pointed to a fat guy who was walking past them. "He got big skin."

Brooke gasped at her daughter's mouth. She could feel the man give them a hard glare. "Dani! Don't talk about people like that." After the man walked away she couldn't help but laugh. Once she thought about it. It really was funny.

Dani just kicked her feet as she sat in the stroller. Fascinated by everything she saw around her. To her little mind it seemed as though everything was brand new.

"I don't know where you get this stuff from little girl, but you don't get it from me. I was never that outspoken when I was little. At least I don't think."

Shrugging her little shoulders she laughed. "Da Da."

"What?"

"Da Da!" She screamed in anger.

Brooke looked around to see if she saw Lucas anywhere. There was no sign of him. It had been two years and ten months since she had seen him. It really would be a miracle if they just popped into one another. Actually it would be more like a disaster. Her life was going really good. If he reentered. It would get bad quick. She stopped in front of the Daycare Center. Rolling inside she looked around at all of the other toddlers. "Look Dani, there is Emily." She pointed over to a little girl playing with blocks. As soon as she let her out the stroller she ran over.

"Hello, Ms. Davis. How are you today?" Ms. Monroe the founder of the establishment asked with a smile on.

"I'm running a little late, but I need to give you guys some orders. Dani has a cold. The doctor prescribed her this. Her snack is right here." She went into the stroller and took out a lunch. "Once you give her this, please feed her the medicine."

"No problem. Is there any special way she likes it?"

"No, actually she hates it. Do not let her talk you out of giving it to her. She might only be two, but she is really persuasive."

The older lady nodded her head in understanding. "Is that all?"

"Yes." She was going to turn around to say bye, but Dani was playing with Emily. So she got her purse from out of the stroller. "Thank you." She told the teacher then walked out in a hurry. She looked at the watch on her wrist and began to pick up her paste. If she didn't hurry she would miss the bus. Walking briskly she turned the corner. Once she saw the bus pull up at the bus stop she ran. Well as fast as she could in high heels. Right before she could make it her skirt ripped. "Oh my God." She cried out in anger. She put her hand up to ask the bus driver to wait, but he continued. So there she was alone and probably late. She dug in her purse for her cell phone. "This is ridiculous." She said out loud to herself.

"Yes it is." A dark man said as he came from behind her. He looked at her rip and continued on his way.

Sighing she finally found her cell phone. She dialed Owen's number twice and he didn't pick up. So she dialed Rachel.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rach. Look I need you to come and pick me up. I am at the bus stop on 43rd street."

"Why can't you just wait for the next bus?"

"Because it doesn't come for another hour. By the time I make it to work. I will be dead. I had to leave work early yesterday because of Dani's cold. Now can you please stop being a selfish bitch, and come and get me?"

"Damn, what is your damage?"

"My damage is. I am alone at a bus stop, my skirt is ripped, and I am probably going to get fired. Now are you coming to get me or not."

"I'll be there in five minutes with no traffic. You should really get a car."

"You want to buy one for me?"

"Bye."

"Bye." She flipped the phone shut and put it back in her purse. This was unbelievable. It could not get any worse then this.

_**At Work:**_

Brooke had gotten to work fifteen minutes late. Looking at the clock on the far wall. She counted down the minutes until it was her lunch. 1:00 was her lunch break, it was 12:54. Listening to the clock ticking was about to make her go crazy. She was first introduced this job when Dani was eight months old. Mike's ex-wives brother, had a friend who needed a secretary. Her first month was busy and crazy. However after that cases stopped coming, and her day consisted of watching the clock. As she was doing then.

'Tick, tick, tick', the clock continued. Placing her head on the wooden desk she closed her eyes. The only reason she kept this job was because of the pay. It made more then her managing job and waitress job ever did. It also had great benefits, which made her able to quit the manager job.

"Brooke?" A loud voice filled the empty hall where her desk was.

Picking up her head quickly, she pressed the intercom button. "Yes?"

"Can you please come and see me after your lunch break is done?"

Her heart skipped a beat. There was either two things that could be happening. A promotion, which would really be great. Or she was going to be fired, and back to the unemployment line she would go. "Of course."

"Thanks."

Repressing the button on the intercom to shut it off. Finally as she glanced up at the clock she saw that it was one. Grabbing her purse, she made her way outside. The people from different sections of the building she worked at, and people from buildings close by, and who were also on their breaks were there. Most of which were smoking. Avoiding conversation with them she grabbed her cell phone, and saw several missed messages. She went into her voice-mail and began to listen to the only one that was on there.

"Hello, Brooke. This is Victoria speaking. You know that our deal is finally over tomorrow. I expect to see you and Danielle at the condo tomorrow at eight o'clock sharply. I want you dressed appropriately. Formal would be the best attire. I am sure you are really happy about this, but I must say I am not. I will see you tomorrow. Bye."

Deleting the message. Her heart skipped a beat. It had only seemed like yesterday, that she had went to her parents...

_A much younger Brooke walked in with her baby daughter in a stroller. Going up to the secretaries desk, she couldn't believe what she was doing. _

_The busy secretary was talking on the phone, writing things down, and typing on the computer. Ignoring the girl at the front of her desk. "Mhmmm..Well, Mr. Davis is busy right now. He has asked to be left alone. Okay, Bye." She hung up the phone._

_"Excuse me!" The brunette yelled to get the attention of the secretary. _

_Giving her an attitude. The older lady walked over to the front of her desk. "What?"_

_"Can I please talk to Mr. Davis? It is an emergency."_

_"Mr. Davis is busy. He made it really clear to me earlier today, not to let anybody see him. So if I were you I would come back another day." _

_"Well, I am different. Can you please just tell him that Brooke is here."_

_"Look, I get people like you all of the time. I bet you are here trying to say that baby is his. But it can't be. Mr. Davis is unable to have kids." She told her with a look of intelligence on her face._

_"Who told you that crap?"_

_"He did. It is obvious that if he wanted children, he would have had them by now. And all of the women that have claimed that he fathered their child. Have all had DNA tests done. He has no heirs."_

_"He lied to you. My name is Brooke Penelope Davis. I am his daughter, and this beauty right here is his grand-daughter. Now can you please ring him? We need to go in there and have a talk."_

_"Again, Do you know how many times I get that? I am not falling for it. You are welcome to stay here as long as you want, but I will not interrupt whatever he is doing."_

_"Look lady. Ask me anything about his family. I bet I can answer it without even hesitating."_

_"You can get his whole biography on DVD or the Internet. So that is not a reliable method."_

_"If you have even watched or read his biography. You would know that he had a daughter. I am her. Brooke Penelope Davis. I'm the only child that he has. The only reason he hasn't mentioned me was because I kind of emancipated from them when I was seventeen. But that still doesn't change the fact that I am his daughter. Legally no, but blood yes."_

_"You are welcome to stay in this room as long as you want. Now if you would excuse me. I have to continue to work." _

_Rolling her eyes she walked over to the brown leather seats in the waiting room, unbuckled Dani out of her stroller, and held her in her arms. "Don't worry. I will not leave until we see your grandfather today." _

_"Brooke?"_

_Hearing a shocked voice she looked up. Her mother was standing near the secretary's desk. Not knowing what to call her, she just stood up. Her mother looked just as she did the day that she emancipated her. It seemed as though the botaox and plastic surgery did her well. _

_"What are you...", she noticed the baby she was holding in her arms. "Who is this?" Going over to her daughter she looked at the baby inside of her arms. _

_"This is Danielle. She is your granddaughter."_

_"Oh, she is beautiful. How old is she?"_

_"Six months. Um...Can I talk to you and-"_

_"Sure, we were just about to go out for lunch." Victoria Davis was so happy to see her daughter. After Brooke left there was an empty place in her heart. Now here was her daughter, and her granddaughter. Right here in-front of her, and she was not going to loose them. Although she was afraid of what her husband might think._

_Walking behind her mother with her daughter in her arms made her feel sentimental. Even though her mother didn't give two shits about her. It was kind of cool when she though about it. Three generations of Davis women were entering the steal elevator. Before she was a mother she had promised herself, that she would never want to be like her, but her mother wasn't all bad. It would be nice if she carried at least half the strength her mom had. _

_A part of her wanted to say something, but she had nothing to really say. It was kind of ironic to her. She could have a conversation with a business man or his wife flawlessly. However when it came to her daughter, the person she gave life to, she couldn't even have a conversation with three sentences._

_The elevator opened to the top floor. Which was all part of her fathers office. Her heart began to throb, and she held Dani close to her. She would have rather left her somewhere else. Knowing that the conversation was going to become heated, but there was nobody to watch her. _

_Before opening the door she looked at her daughter. "Okay, your father is a little sore about the whole emancipation thing. So let me go in there and soften him up a bit. Then I will kind of give you an introduction in. Say what you have to say, and no matter what I am on your side."_

_"Why aren't you mad at me?"_

_"Brooke, after you left. I had a lot of time to think and let my anger out. Your father on the other hand, just dove into his work. He never had time to vent. And I don't want to scare you, but seeing you might send him off."_

_"Don't worry I am prepared."_

_Turning back toward the door, she took a deep breath. Then opened it up and with a big smile, she went over to her husband. "Charles."_

_Turning around in his seat, he put on a smile. He got up and went over to his wife. "Victoria, you are here a lot earlier then I expected."_

_"Yeah, well I thought I'd take you out for lunch. I mean this is the last day you will be here before you fly to Paris. But things have changed. Why don't we order in?"_

_"Are you thinking about what I was talking about the other day?" Charles Davis was in his early fifties. Unlike his wife he did not use his money to hide his age. His brown hair was turning gray, his brown eyes were getting weaker and he had to wear glasses, and wrinkles were apparent on his face._

_"Charles, sweetheart. I am in my late forties, and you are in your early fifties. The likeliness of us having a child is slim to none."_

_"You are right about us getting older, and that is why we need a heir."_

_"We already have a heir."_

_"Victoria, not this again. She is no longer our daughter. As soon as she decided to take us to court. All of the money she would have inherited, left with her. I don't want to hear another word about her!" _

_"To late. Brooke come here please!" She called after her daughter._

_Walking in with precious little Dani sleeping in her arms, she looked at the utter shock in her fathers eyes. "Hi."_

_"What are you doing here?" He asked with no passion in his voice what-so-ever. _

_"I am just going to come right out and say it. I need some money."_

_"I knew it. I told you the moment you left that courtroom, you would be back. Too bad it is to late. You made your decision to give up on all the money you can think of."_

_"No, it was my choice to give up on you two. You didn't care about me! All you cared about was me being the heir. So I can take over the business and keep it going. But I am sorry. I needed more. Sometimes I needed a parent!" She screamed out in anger._

_"You are acting as if we were never there at all. We came to see you sometimes."_

_"Yeah, but you would always be at business meetings and she was always with her stuck up friends."_

_"I just don't get you. You had almost everything that any kid would have wanted. Every toy, barbie, a nanny there 24/7, three bedrooms just for you, bike, race car, and I even got you four ponies."_

_"Those are all nice, but you forgot one thing. Love!" With all the screaming going on between her father and her. Dani began to stir in her arms. "Look, I didn't come here to argue. I just need some money."_

_"Why do you need the money?" Victoria chimed in._

_"I need a place to stay. Dani and I are living with my friend on her couch. I just need some rent money to get on my feet. Then I will never bother you again."_

_"Where is the father?" Charles asked._

_"He is not with us."_

_"He died?"_

_"No, he just chose not to stay with us. And I don't need him. But I need somebody. I thought that I could do it all by myself, but I can't. If you give me the money."_

_"Fine, we will give it to you." Victoria stated without even looking at her husband._

_"Thank you."_

_"I never-"_

_"But there is a catch." She ignored her husband. "You and Dani will have to come by the house, every Sunday, for the next couple of months. Until we move out of New York to California."_

_"Fine."_

_"Starting this Sunday. Formal attire and you are not to show up no later then eight."_

_"Yes, ma'am."_

_"And you are to keep us posted on everything that happens with Danielle's life."_

_"Of course."_

_"I have not agreed to any of this!" _

_"Charles, we will talk about this later." Victoria whispered in his ear._

_"Thank you, guys. I will never forget this. You are saving me and your granddaughter from sleeping on the streets."_

It took her a while to get used to her mom always being there, but she kind of liked it. Her father on the other hand was still a little sore. He refused to look her in the eyes, but he treated Dani like a princess. The apartment that they brought for her came with Dani's room already done. About every month new toys and clothes come in for her daughter. At first she was a little jealous that her parents were paying more attention to her. Instead of their own daughter, but it is about Dani now.

Flipping through her missed calls she saw that Owen, Rachel, and Victoria's had called. She knew what they all wanted. Therefore she didn't bother to call them back.

_**After Lunch:**_

"Brooke, come in." Mr. Jacobson said happily as he watched her walk inside of his office. "Please, sit down."

"I know that I had to leave early yesterday, and today I cam in late. But I promise that will never happen again. You see I am a single mom and my daughter was sick and I don't drive. So when I was going to the bus, my skirt ripped..."

"I am not trying to fire you. Actually I am trying to tell you something like that, but not really."

"What is it?"

"As you can probably tell. Our firm has not been doing well. So we have decided to move."

"Move?"

"Yes, we think that it will be a nice change."

"Where?"

"To Florida. We hear there are a lot of people in dire need for lawyers. We think it would be really good for us. We have already rented out a space and everything."

"What about my job?"

"It will still be offered to you. If you decide to move down there with us. However if you tell me that you can't. We will have to give your job to somebody else."

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I have never lived anywhere else in my life. I have a fiance, best-friend, and my whole life basically here. It would be different if you guys had a house out there. But I can always find a hustle or some kind of job in New York."

"I understand, but I need you to pack up your things. We are leaving next week. Your last paycheck will be in the bank by next Friday. You don't have to come back after today."

"I guess that means this is it?"

"I guess it is. But if it means anything to you. You were one of the best secretary's that I have ever had, and I didn't even have to have sex with you."

She put on a smile. "I'm not like that. I changed, but if you had known me before. Lets just say this ring on my finger would be from you. I have that kind of an affect on guys."

Kinking his right eyebrow. He looked at her sexy legs as she walked out of his office. "If she didn't have a kid. She would have been mine." He replied as he picked up the phone. "Hi, yes. This is Robert Jacobson."

_**After Work:**_

"Hello? Can you pick Dani up from Daycare? I am running a little late."

"Brooke, I have to go to work in an hour. So please be here."

"Babe, don't worry. I will be there as soon as I can. I just need you to pick her up."

"Fine. Just please."

"I love you."

"Love you too, babe."

Packing her things into a box. She looked at her picture that had been on her desk. It was the day that Dani was born. Owen was holding her and you could see the pure nervousness on his face. She laughed, this picture made her think of what she was doing. Getting married. Somedays she felt it was the right thing and others she felt she was doing the completely wrong thing. But this picture made her know. He was the one.

"Are you coming down to Florida with us?"

"No, this is my last day here." She replied to one of the interns as she put her picture in the box, she turned to look at the clock. "I better go before I miss the bus again today."

"Hey, Brooke. Have a great time. You are young. You have a lot of time."

"Thank you." She replied picking up the box. "You too." Looking at the office, it was odd. This part of her life was over. Using her back to open the double doors, she stepped down the steep steps. Going slowly trying not to fall down with her high heels on. Once she got down the last step she picked up her pace. Her black open toed high heels were clicking on the cement sidewalk. Stopping at the end of the road she looked both ways. There was bumper to bumper traffic. As she awaited the 'walk' sign, so she could cross the street. Right when the 'walking light' turned green her body froze as she heard her name being called.

"Brooke!"

She turned to her left, and before her body had time to catch up with her mind. She saw him, and he looked the same as he had two years and eight months ago. Like a model.

Jogging over to her he waved. People were getting in his way. The streets were crowded with busy people, but it seemed as though they were the only two people in all of the world. His blue eyes with her chocolate brown eyes.

Before she could even think she ran to the other side of the road. 'This can't be happening. He is not here. It is just a figment of my imagination' She told herself as she ran.

"Wait!" He called after her as he began to run faster. She disappeared around a corner, and he followed. "Please, let me explain. We really need to talk!" All he could see was the back of her head. Her bob was bumping up and down.

Her legs just continued to run. She knew running was never the answer, but part of her still couldn't believe that he was here. The part that did believe was happy and scared.

"Please!" He called out of breath. His chest began to hurt. He hadn't taken his HCM medicine, since he landed on the plane three days ago. He was here on a business decision, but really he had been thinking of coming back to see her. He had been looking for her all over. He had almost given up until now. And now that he had her. He wasn't going to let her go.

She could feel his arm grab hers. Pulling it away, she dropped something out of her box and continued to run. She made her way to the bus stop. The bus had pulled up and the last person was getting on. She ran on and the buses double doors closed before he could talk to her.

"Damn it!" He screamed out in anger as he watched her pull away on the bus. Rubbing his chest he thought about going back to his car. As he walked a few feet he stopped. Picking up the thing that Brooke must have dropped out of the box. Looking at it he smiled. "I've got you Brooke Davis, and this time I'm not going to let you go."

_**The Apartment:**_

Brooke who was still kind of shaken by the whole in-counter. It was odd. The part that was happy to see him. Was the part that still loved him and wanted him to be here with her all of the time. The other part that was sad about seeing him. Her life was going perfect. Well almost. She now had to find a new job. She unlocked her door and walked in.

"Good you are here. I thought I was going to be late for work. I'll be by after I get off." Owen said as he kissed her on the cheek once she had walked in.

Putting the box of her job belongings on the kitchen counter, she looked at him. "I saw him today."

Owen stopped from rushing out the door. He turned around with a distraught expression on his face. "Who did you see today?"

"Lucas. I was about to cross the street, he called my name, I ran, he ran after me, but I got on the bus before he could catch me. He kept calling me and begging me to wait. It was as if it was all a dream."

"Do you think he knows about Dani?"

She nodded her head no. "How could he? Unless he somehow got in contact with Rachel, but she would have told me that today."

"I think that I might take off from work today. I can see that you are shaken up about this."

"No. Go to work. I'll be fine." She shooed him. "There is nothing to worry about. He doesn't know where this new apartment is."

"Are you sure? I am sure I can take off today."

"Please, go."

"Okay, call me if you need anything." He put his jacket on and kissed her on her forehead. "Dani is in the room sleeping. I think her cold is getting to her."

She grunted an okay. She watched as he left. Slipping off her high heels, she went to the back of her room to slip into something more comfortable. When the doorbell rang. "Okay, Owen. What did I tell you?" She opened up the door and almost dropped dead.

Lucas Eugene Scott was holding up her Fashion Degree in his hand. "Are you missing something?"

* * *

_**Happy Holidays and New Year!!!**_


	9. Denial is a Powerful Thing

_**Chapter 9: ****Denial is a Powerful Thing**_

Brooke tried to close the door.

"Brooke! Wait we need to talk, about a lot." He put his foot where the door would have met the hinges. "I promise no funny business. Just a catch up with a friend."

"Friend?"

"Yes, that's it."

Opening the door to let him in, she watched as he entered her apartment. She closed the door as he looked around. "I am sorry I ran from you today. You just scared me."

"I know. I have been trying to get in contact with you, but it hasn't been working." He put his hands in his pockets. There was an awkward silence. He had never had so much to say in his life, but he had no clue how to start off.

There was this kind of weird angst in the room. Since the day he left New York, she had been awaiting this day. He was right here in front of her and neither of them were ready to say what was on their mind. "We can sit here quiet all day, but that isn't going to get us anywhere."

Turning around he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess, I'll start with I'm sorry. I should have told you I was married, but I was scared. I was scared that I was going to loose you once you found out. And I really liked you. I still like you."

"I like you too." _We have a kid together. _She thought to herself. "And I accept your apology, but this can't happen. I am engaged."

The fake smile on his face did nothing to hide the disappointment in his eyes. "Wow, congratulations. I guess that is kind of ironic because I am divorced. For good this time."

"Sorry to hear that."

"I'm not. Like I told you. I was never in love with her."

"So then why did you..." She stopped before she finished her question. This was the question that had been burning in the back of her head for two years and eight months.

"Why did I what?"

"Nothing, look. My life is going good now. After you left I fell all the way to the bottom. I finally have close to the perfect life."

"I get what you are getting at. I guess I was a total idiot to think you would be waiting here for me, with your arms wide open." His face began to look gloomy. "

"You weren't an idiot..." Her heart froze as she heard little whines coming from Dani. She prayed to God that he didn't hear her. "Well I guess we have talked about everything. Well, I guess I'll see you in another two years." She went over to him and grabbed his arm.

"No, wait. I want to catch up some more. I really want to know what you've been up too."

"Nothing really. I got my fashion degree, had two birthdays, quit my job at Macy's, and now I'm getting married." She tried to sum up her life as she pulled him toward the door.

"Mama!" Dani screamed from her room. She whaled from the top of her lungs.

Brooke held her breath. "I have to take that." she replied pointing to her daughters room. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and fix yourself some coffee or something?"

A weird feeling went through his chest. It felt more like she was trying to get him not to go to the back, more than being polite. He went into the kitchen as he was told, but would not stay there for long.

"Mommy is here." The brunette told her daughter over her loud screams. She picked her up and started to bounce her. Kissing the top of her dirty blonde hair. "You sure no the right time to scream for me." She said lowly as she saw her daughters eyes closing.

The little toddler moved around in her mothers arms. Yawning slightly as she did so. Nothing felt more embracing then her mother holding her. To her it was as though the whole world was at peace. Nothing could go wrong.

She couldn't help but smile. Even though some days she wondered why in the world she had chosen to keep her. The fact of the matter was times like these were worth more then all of the bad times. It made her realize that every life is precious. A twinge came in her heart as she thought about all of the times she had thought about getting rid of Dani when she first found out she was pregnant. Now she really couldn't imagine life without her.

"Brooke?" Lucas said as he looked into the room. It was bright pink with 'Princess' as the theme. So many questions raced through his mind. As he saw her holding the sleeping toddler in her arms.

Brooke turned away slightly but it was not enough to hide her, and it was to late. He had already saw her. "I can explain..."

The blonde held his finger up to shush her. His yellow eyebrow were slanted upward. He went over to the little girl that she was holding. She was beautiful, and as much as he didn't want to think it. Looked somewhat like him. Her hair color that was for sure. Questions were running through his mind. Questions that only Brooke could answer, but he was mad. If this was his child which he pretty much sure it was. How could he look the person in the face that had lied to him for so long? Even though he had not done anything to help the situation. With so many emotions running through him he just waved his arm in the air. Feeling as though all of the air had been sucked out of him he walked out of the room.

"Wait!" It was ironic. Earlier he had the one who had been trying to stop her so they could talk. Now she was the one who was trying to stop him. Placing her daughter in the crib softly. Looking at her made it worse. Looking at her peaceful face and then looking at his hurtful face. She chased after him quickly. Right before he got out of the front door se grabbed his arm. "I didn't mean too."

"How could you lie to me like that?" His face was distraught. There were so many emotions going through his head. All of his life he had been telling his mother he was never going to end up like Dan. Now here he was in almost the same exact position that he was in.

"I was scared okay. You had left me for your wife! By the time that I had found out I was pregnant...I just thought that it was to late. You left me and we never talked again."

"You knew where I was. You knew how to contact me, when you were pregnant."

"Yes, and how would have that conversation would have gone? Hello, this is your other woman. I know you told me that you were leaving me for your wife, but guess what. You knocked me up." She replied sarcastically.

"That would have been better then this. I have missed two years of that girls life. I missed all of her firsts. Her first walk, word, and smile. Her birth, watching her open her eyes for the first time, and her first laugh."

"I know." Her mood changed form sarcastic and playful. To serious and gloomy in a heartbeat. Her throat was filled with remorse. "Not a day has gone by since I gave birth to that little girl, that I have not thought about you. When I was in labor with her, I did call you. I was really scared and even if you did say you wanted nothing to do with her. It still would have been nice to hear your voice."

"When?"

"She was born June 4th, but I was in labor for about thirteen hours. So when I called you it was June 3rd, 2009."

"On my cell phone?"

"Yes."

"That was the day that I got the divorced papers signed." He remembered all important dates like that. "And it was also the day Peyton started the fire at the house. My cell phone got caught in that fire." He replied as he rubbed his head.

"I get why you would be mad at me, but you have to understand. Throughout all of her firsts I thought of you. When she first opened her eyes I cried, because she looked just like you. Her baby blue eyes. When she first born she had light brown hair, but it is now dirty blonde. When that happened I all I could think about was you, and how much I wished you were here to see her."

He smiled. Although he had not been there. He could visual it in his mind. Part of him was not sure that this child really was his, but that would come at another day. For right now they had a lot to talk about. "What about your fiance?"

"You have to understand. I really did not want to leave you. But Peyton told me she was pregnant, and I was so scared of turning into my father. Which is exactly what happened."

"That is why you left me? Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"Because I was scared that if you knew that, you would try to talk me out of it. And again I really hate my dad."

Brushing her hand through her hair, she sat down on the couch. "After you left, I got kicked out of my apartment, so I lived with Rachel. Then she kicked me out and I was literally living on the streets. From motel to motel, friends houses, and some days in the shelter. Finally I dug up the strength to go begging to my parents. They helped me get this place, and Dani get all of her toys. Then I got a better job, Owen and I started to get serious, and I am beginning to pay back all of my loans." She really was not talking to anybody in particular, she was just staring into space. Trying to figure things out in her mind.

"I can't say sorry enough. If I had known."

"It's okay. It really wasn't your fault." She began to pick her nails. Her heart began to thud. She was beginning to fall for him. After all of these years trying to hide them, it was starting to show.

Putting his hand in his back pocket he gazed at her gazing into space. For a moment it felt as though they were the only two people in the world. For a moment it felt as though all of the shit that happened between them, never did. But only for a moment. A moment was all it was.

"Who the hell are you?" A slam came from the front door as an angry man walked in.

Brooke came from out of her gaze and jumped in front of Lucas. "Owen, baby. What are you doing here? I thought you had to go to work?"

"I did, but I got caught in traffic. And while I was sitting there in my car, I couldn't help but think about you. So I thought 'what the hell. I can take one day off of work.' And I walk in and find you with him." He pointed to the blond as though he was a murderer or something.

"My name is Lucas Scott. I guess you are Owen, and I owe you a 'Thank you'." He stepped in front of Brooke and put his hand out. "You were here for them when they needed it."

Owen looked at him with a nasty look on his face. "You expect me to believe that you are calm with this. I stepped in and took over your place. I am about to marry the mother of your child and adopt your daughter. And you are fine with that?"

"What the fuck are you talking about? You are not adopting my daughter. Adoption is for people that don't have parents. But Danielle has a father and I am it."

"I didn't want to tell you that until we were all together." Brooke chimed in as she turned around with another guilty look on her face. "I really did not think that you would be coming back. So I thought Dani would be better off if Owen adopted her."

"Well, that is not going to happen. I will take you to court. I just found my daughter, you will not take her away from me." Now he was angry. Before he had really meant his apology to him. But he is stepping over a line.

"Fine, and we will just tell the judge how you have not paid child-support for the past two years, and you have just seen your daughter. Let's see which person she will accept to be her father."

"I didn't even know that she was alive, until now!"

"Owen and Lucas, please!" The brunette said holding her hands up in annoyance. "I just got Dani to sleep. Can we just talk about this like grown adults?"

"I guess, so. All I want is a chance to be her father. That's all that I am asking for."

Owen was about to say something rude when Brooke interrupted.

"I think that is pretty fair. Why don't you meet us at the local Park. It right up the street. How does tomorrow around one sound?"

"Perfect." Lucas replied happily. He looked over at the guy he had met. He could see the jealousy in his eyes. Which made his smile even bigger.

"I have work at that time."

"I know you do, babe. I think that Lucas and Dani need some time alone. The only reason that I am going is because she is my daughter, and she is still little."

"I don't like that idea."

Taking his hand and slowly massaging it with her thumb, she gazed into his eyes. "Don't worry. I love how protective you are of us. But he is not harmful. Actually Lucas is a pretty decent guy. He has just made a few mistakes in his past."

"Like getting you pregnant and leaving you. Or have you forgotten about that?"

A twinge came through her heart. To be honest she had forgotten about it, until he had so incautiously brought it up. "Like I said don't worry. I would never do anything to hurt Dani."

"Neither would I." Lucas pointed out in the background.

Feeling that Owen had calmed down a bit she smiled. Leaning in slightly she kissed him ever so lightly on the lips. Even though she hated to admit it. Part of her wished that it was Lucas she was kissing. But denial was forcing her to face those feelings.

Standing there, watching the two of them kissing was becoming unbearable. If it had not been for the fact that he knew Brooke wanted him. He was sure that he would have kicked his ass, right when he stepped to him. But the truth was he could feel the angst in the air. And doing something stupid like that could make his chances even less to have her.

In Owen's mind he was happy. Happy that this 'Lucas' character had to sit here and watch as he kissed the girl that he wanted. But his body felt no passion between the two of them. His body could feel Brooke slowly falling out of love with him. But denial was causing him to believe that this dude could just come in here, and take what he had worked so hard to earn. In a matter of minutes.

Denial is a powerful thing.


	10. Talks and Other Things

_**Chapter 10: Talks and Other Things**_

Brooke looked around the corner. There he was. Just sitting there in the cold. He had a teddy bear in one hand, and a rose in the other. "Look at your father. Doesn't he look cute?" She asked Dani. "I don't want you to be scared. He really does love you and wants nothing but the best." She looked into the stroller and Dani was sucking her thumb. Taking a deep breath she walked over to him.

For a minute he thought that she had forgotten all about him, but once she saw her and their daughter. It was as if all of his fears had melted away. He got off of the seesaw and headed toward them. "You two look beautiful today." He greeted with a smile as he hugged Brooke.

"You're not looking to bad yourself." She replied.

"I got this for you." He handed her a fake rose. "Sorry, it isn't a real one, but it was to cold out to buy you a real one."

"Thank you, and it's okay. Maybe I shouldn't have suggested the park." She looked around at the empty playground. It was November after all, and not many went to the park during this month.

"It's all right. At least I will have a chance to get to know my daughter." He looked t her and bent down. "Here you are. I bought this for you." He handed her the teddy bear.

"What do you say?" Brooke asked as she looked at the first interaction between the two. It melted her heart away.

Dani shyly took the teddy bear. "Tank you."

"Your very welcome." He stated. There was a cold breeze. He saw as her little nose began to turn red. "I think that we should go somewhere more warm."

"There is a Museum a few blocks from here, but it will take a while to walk there." Brooke told him as she pointed down the street.

"Walk?" Lucas replied surprised.

"Yes, how else would we get there?"

"Driving. How else?"

"Sorry country boy, but this is New York. Nit everybody needs to know how to drive. I have never been behind the wheel of a car. And I seem to be doing fine."

"Okay, well to me driving is a way of life. Why don't you two just get into my car. We will drive to the museum, and we can continue this there."

"I don't know about that." She was really hesitant about this. If they were in a Park, people would be around to see them. If they were in a Museum, sure there would people around, but they would still be alone.

"I don't bite, and I know how hard it is to trust me after what happened before. But you have to believe that I am really sorry. And as long as I live I will never ever leave like that again. You have to at least trust that."

She could hear the realness in his voice. "Let's go to the museum."

Still a little confused about whether she believed him or not he nodded his head, yes. "My car is really far. Why don't you and Dani stay here? I'll pull up the car."

"Sure." She nodded her head yes. As she watched him leave it reminded her of the day he had left her apartment for the last time. Again she knew she was going to see him, but she wasn't sure what the future held for them.

"Momma I c…c…cold." Dani stuttered as another breeze hit her.

Brooke looked at her daughters red face. She picked her up out of the stroller and pressed her close against her. Then bounced her u and down trying to keep her warm. As soon as she began to get tired, Lucas pulled up in his 2011 Benz.

"Climb in." He told her as soon as he stopped in front of them. He got out and put the stroller inside of the trunk.

"I don't think this is a good idea. Dani doesn't have a car-seat." The brunette objected as she walked over to the passengers side.

"Yes, she does." He said as he took one out of the trunk, and put it in the trunk like a pro.

As soon as they were all settled into the car. Brooke turned and looked at Lucas. "What were you doing with a car-seat in your trunk?"

"Well, my mom had my sister when I was seventeen. So when Peyton was pregnant she gave it to me. For my daughter Cecelia."

"Oh, so I guess you two must be close?" She sounded disappointed. Even though it had been a couple of years since they saw one another. She thought that maybe he would be free to just be with her and their daughter.

"No. Actually Peyton gave birth when she was five months pregnant. She was to young to live outside of her, and died."

"Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. That must have been so tough for you." Brooke said honestly sad as she put her hand on his arm. "I could never imagine loosing Dani."

"Now you know why I reacted the way I did when I found out about that little girl. It's like God gave me a second chance and I am not letting some other guy take her away from me. She is my miracle."

In any other situation Brooke would have thought this was cheesy, but to be truthful it warmed her heart. It also made her feel worse then ever for keeping this secret from him. "If I were you, I would hate me. I mean I kept her from you."

"Well, I was really upset when I left. Then I thought about if I was in your situation, and if I were you. I would have kept her from me too. I should have never left you like that. Whether Peyton was pregnant or not."

"Yeah, but I still had no right. I was just scared. You do understand that, don't you?"

"Yes, and that is the past. Let's just focus on the future. And our future just so happens to be Danielle Marie Davis-Scott." He replied as he stoped at a stop light. Across the street on the sidewalk there was a sign stating that the museum was three blocks away.

_**The Museum:**_

Lucas looked at the painting of the Mona Lisa. "I never understood this kind of art." It was weird being here with his baby mama and daughter. Especially when art, used to be the thing he used to do with Peyton.

"Neither did I. But then again I wasn't the smartest girl in the world when I was younger." She replied as she sat on the bench with Dani on her lap. "Maybe we should go to the kid section, Dani seems to be bored."

"Of course." He replied, feeling dumb for not thinking of that in the first place.

"I am kind of tired. Do you think you can take her over there. I just want to sit here and look around for a bit." It was lie. The last thing that she wanted to do was stare at art, but she wanted to let them have father-daughter time.

"Um...are you sure that is a good idea? I mean I don't think that she is that comfortable with me, yet." He said to her nervously. The idea of him being alone with her. Just made him sweat.

"How are you going to have a relationship with her, when you are scared to be alone with her? Trust me she is not that kind of baby. She is really laid back and care free." She told him as she picked Dani up and held her out to him.

He laughed in his mind because that was the way his mom described him when he was a kid. It eased his thought of her not being his a little. But he still won't get rid of the until there was a DNA test. Taking a lot of courage he took the toddler into his arms.

Dani put her head on his shoulder. This guy was new to her so she really had no emotion toward him.

He walked over to the kid center. As soon as he walked in there were crayons, coloring books, paint, paintbrushes, and markers all over the place. Kids were running around, screaming, and yelling. He put the toddler down on one of the tables and gave her a crayon and white construction paper.

The dirty blond toddler took it and began to scribble on the paper.

"Do you mind if I color with you?" He asked as he took a crayon.

"No." She nodded her head no. "Hear." She pushed the paper toward him so it would be easier for the both of them to color together.

"You are a really smart kid. You must get the being nice thing from your mother."

The toddler didn't say anything she just continued to color.

"I am kind of new at this whole dad, thing. Do you think that I am doing a good job."

Dani nodded her head yes. "Good job." She repeated.

Even though she was just a kid and was probably repeating everything that he said last, it really did mean a lot for her to say that to him. "You are a great kid. Your mother did a great job raising you."

"Tank you." She replied as she continued to scribble. Her face was really into it. Her bottom lip was being bit and her eyebrows were arched.

Lucas laughed at the face that she made. This was his first moment with his daughter, and he couldn't have asked for a better one. He continued to color.

_**30 Minutes Later:**_

"Row row row your boat, gently down the stream......" Lucas and Dani sang together as Lucas was carrying her in his arms. He was bouncing her up and down as they stopped in front of Brooke. "Merrily Merrily Merrily life is but a dream." He laughed as he put her down.

Dani laughed with her father and then turned around and ran to her mother. "Mommy, man funny." She replied as she was picked up by her mother.

"I guess the two of you had fun?" She smiled as she looked at the two of them.

"Yes, we did. We colored." He showed her the picture that they had made. "We went on a treasure hunt." He showed a bag filled with little plastic dinosaurs and art materials. "Then we went to go see a video."

"Wow, I guess you two had a great time together." She said as she hugged her daughter.

"And that day is not over. Why don't we go get some lunch?" Lucas suggested as he looked at the two girls. "I don't know about you guys, but I am starving."

"I think that is a great idea, but we really can't impose on you like that. You have already done so much for us."

"It's my treat. Come on, just dinner at Red Lobster."

"Oh My God. I love their biscuits. How did you know?"

"Who doesn't? Just a quick lunch and I will have you guys home before your boyfriend gets worried."

"Fine, but I am going to pay you back." Brooke told him as she put her finger in the air.

"You do not need to do that. This is my treat."

_**Red Lobster:**_

They were seated at a table, and already had finished with their main course.

"I am stuffed." Lucas said as he began to slump in his chair a bit.

"Me too. And so is Dani." She replied as she looked at her daughter who was sleeping in her stroller soundly. "I really do not need to eat anymore. Why don't we forget about dessert?"

"Sure. But we really need to talk." He said as he put his hands on the table.

"I know." She was trying really hard to avoid this conversation.

"After I went home, I called my mother. And she doesn't hate you, but she does want to meet you and Dani. So I was wondering if you two would like to go back to my hometown."

"Uh...Are you sure if that would be a good idea? I mean I don't know anybody out there. And I don't have enough money for a hotel." It was a generous thought, but she had never been outside of New York.

"Don't you want Dani to meet her grandmother, Aunts, Uncle, Cousins, and all of the rest of her family. If you think about it here she really only has you as family and out in Tree Hill she will have more family then she can count on two hands."

"Yes, but I would have to go with her, and I don't think Owen would like any of that."

"He is allowed to come too. I really don't have any harsh feelings toward him. It is just the way that he came up to me, that made me get aggressive. All I want is for her to meet her family."

Brooke began to get uncomfortable. "Well, I guess since I kind of did shelter her from you and your family. The least I could do is go with you to your hometown, so they can see your daughter."

"Thank you, and we also have to talk about the whole last name thing with her. I understand that you love Oscar Odell or whoever he is, but he is not Dani's father. I don't care what the paper work say."

"I understand that, but you have to remember. When he brought up the idea, I thought that you were never coming back. And he loves Dani so much that I can't just tell him I changed my mind."

"He will get to see her more then I will, and he was already there for all of her firsts. All I am asking is for her to keep my last name. And we still have to talk about the housing situation."

"You are really forcing this a bit aren't you? I mean we have time. I am not getting married anytime soon. We haven't even set a date."

"Oh, well. In that case. Why don't I take you two back home? But first I have to tell you. I am going back home in two days. So I will need you to be ready with all of your things packed tomorrow. Our plane will leave early the next day."

"How did you know I was going to say 'yes'?" She asked with a laugh.

"Because you have a heart."

"Well, you know me really well." She put her hands on the table and looked into his eyes. "No matter what happens. Dani and I are going to board on that plane."

"Tell O-"

"wen"

"Yeah, tell Owen that no matter what. I will not make a move on you." He really did mean this. Of course he still had feelings for her, but he wanted her to have feelings for him.

"I will."

Dani moved around in her stroller, then her eyes shot open. "Ut oh."

"Oh." Brooke said as she looked at her daughter.

"What?"

"Her ut oh. means that she just did number two."

"Oh."

"Yeah, let me go clean her up and then, you can take us home." She said as she got off of the chair and picked up her daughter who smelled horrible. This was one of the worst parts of motherhood.

_**Brooke's Apartment:**_

"Thank you for such a great day. I think Dani enjoyed it just as much as I did." She replied as she kissed her sleeping daughter on the cheek.

"No, thank you. You made me the happiest man alive today." He stated with a smile. "You raised her really well. She couldn't have asked for a better mother." He said as he took his hand and stroked her hand. "I'll see you in two days."

"No, you'll be seeing the both of us in two days." She said happily. It was still a little nerve racking that she had promised to go somewhere out of New York, but she felt secure with this guy.

"Good bye." He kissed her on the cheek lightly.

She smiled and nodded her head as she watched him walk off. It felt as though today had all been a dream, it went so well. She entered her apartment with a smile and immediately put Dani in the crib. Then she went into her room and turned on the light.

"How was it?"

Brooke put her hand to her heart in an attempt to regroup herself. "What the hell!" She screamed at him. "I gave you that key for emergencies only. Not to scare the shit out of me."

"Sorry, but I couldn't even concentrate at work today. I had to leave early. I just really did not like the idea of you two being together alone." Owen stated as he got off of the bed. "How was it?"

"It was nice, he was a complete gentlemen, and Dani really loved him."

"Oh, well Dani loves everybody. She is just one of those kinds of people."

"Yeah, and we talked about everything. And..."

"And just because he all of a sudden enters your life does not mean that it has to change." He finished for her. "I do not like that guy and I do not think that you should be seeing him anymore."

"Owen that guy, is Dani's father. We had a kid together. I can't just not see him anymore."

"That guy also left you and Dani to fend for yourselves. If it wasn't for me, your parents, and Rachel. You and Dani would be on the streets right now."

"And I am thankful for that. But I have to do what is right for Dani, and that is seeing him. I love you." She went over to him and sat next to him on the mattress. Then she put her hands into his. "I am wearing your ring and I am ready to spend the rest of my life with you. You knew that when you started even talking to me that I was pregnant with another guys baby. So you had to be ready for him to come back into my life." Her voice was calm.

"Your right. I guess I have no choice, but to let him into my life. At least I'll have the satisfaction of seeing his envious face every time I hold you and and kiss you." He kissed her softly on the cheek.

She smiled with her famous dimples showing. "Great, then you won't mind if we all took a little trip?"

"When? Where?" He asked laughably as he got off of the bed and went over to the drawer.

"In two days and Tree Hill, North Carolina."

Owen turned around and laughed as he looked at his fiance. "You're joking right?"

"No, Lucas' family wants to meet Dani. I think that it is a good idea. She can know that she has more family then just me and her my parents."

"No."

"I'm sorry but I wasn't asking for your permission for me to go. I was asking you if you were going to join Dani and I on the plane in two days." She replied as she got up.

"He is doing this on purpose. You know that he set this up, to see you. You both know that I have to work! So we can have the dream wedding that we always wanted." He screamed irritated.

"Shhh...you are going to wake up Dani." She said as she turned her head to make sure she didn't hear the whimpers of her daughter. As soon as she didn't hear anything she looked at him with anger in her eyes. "Do you really think that he would do something like that?"

"Well, he did leave a pregnant girl all alone. So why not try to come back into her life and try to mess it up all over again? I know guys like him." He said in a low, but mean voice.

"You don't know anything about him. Now, I am getting on that plane with my daughter in two days. Either you can stay angry at Lucas or you can show me why I fell in love with you in the first place."

Putting his hand on his forehead, he took a deep breath. "Look, I can't go with you two to Free Kill, North Carolina."

"Tree Hill."

"Same difference. But I trust that you are going to be faithful to me."

She nodded her head yes. Then went over to him and hugged him.

"So when you get back from your little trip. I want us to get married. The same day you get off of the plane. I want to meet you at City Hall and finally just get this over with."

She looked up into his eyes. "What about our Summer Wedding that we planned?"

"I am tired of waiting for us to get married. I want you to be my wife and Danielle to be my daughter. This waiting thing is getting on my nerves. I want to wake up to you everyday, and be able to hold you whenever I want."

"Me too, but I don't think I am ready for this so soon. There is still so much to do."

"Why?"

"Because that is how we planned it."

"Yes, but things change. Why have a big wedding if we don't have that many people to invite? City Hall is big enough for all of our friends and family."

"I guess you are right."

"I am. So that's the plan."

"Yes, as soon as I get off of that plane from North Carolina. I will meet you and all of our friends at City Hall. We will get married and start the rest of our lives together."

"Plus with all of the money that we will have left over that we didn't spend on the wedding. We can spend it on the Honeymoon." He replied sensually as he kissed her neck.

"Dani..."

"Is sleeping and we never have time to do this." He said as he picked her up by the waist. Then he placed her down slowly on the bed and kissed her lips passionately.

"You know that I can't be quiet when I'm in the mood." She giggled as he kissed her on the neck.

"Well, you have to learn sometime or another." He said as he looked at her sultriness and then kissed her on the lips again.


	11. One of A Kind

______

**Chapter 11: ****One of A Kind**

Dani was asleep in her car-seat on the plane. She had the window seat, Brooke was in the middle and Lucas was on the side near the aisle.

Looking at her daughter Brooke pulled the pink covers on top of her. Then she looked over at Lucas who looked as though he was in deep thoughts. "What are you thinking about?"

He looked over at her, and put his hand on her thigh. "About how much fun the two of you are going to have in my hometown. It's not like New York, but it has some pretty neat things there."

She smiled at him, and then sighed. "Do you think that they are going to like me? I mean I am like the other-woman."

"They are going to love you. Especially my mother. You gave her a granddaughter. How can she not?"

"Can we go through the family tree again?"

"Sure. My mothers name is Karen Rowe, my fathers name is Dan Scott. When they were seventeen, my mom got pregnant with me. My dad also got another girl named Deb pregnant at the same time. They had my brother Nathan."

"Okay, and you two used to hate each other, but now you guys like each other, right?"

He nodded his head yes. "Nathan got married to Haley when they were Juniors and had my nephew Jaime when they were Seniors. My mother also had my sister Lily with my Uncle Keith."

"He is the one that was shot by your dad."

"Yes. See, you were listening. Now Peyton my ex wife. Got remarried to her ex boyfriend Jake, who had a daughter named Jenny with another woman."

"Her name was Nikki and you did stuff with her too."

"Wow...why did you want to go over everything? You have it all."

"Do you know that saying that you also have sex with all the other people that the person you had sex with did."

"Yes."

"So basically, your whole little town had sex with each other."

"I guess you can say that, but if you really think about it. You had sex with me and I had sex with Peyton, who had sex with Jake and Nathan, who had sex with Haley, and Jake had sex with Nikki. So you really had sex with all of those strangers as well." He laughed as he used her own joke against her.

"Ugh....Don't remind me." She replied playfully as she hit him.

The pilot came on the intercom. "We are about to land. I hope you had a great ride on 'Lakeview Airline.'

"Oh my goodness." Brooke said out loud as she thought about the worse. This was going to be a crazy journey.

**Tree Hill Naley Home:**

Haley sat at her dinning room table with her husband. Their hands were intertwined and they were staring into each others eyes. "You do know that you are the love of my life, right?"

"I would hope so, seeing as we have been married for seven years." He joked as he kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I wonder how Karen is doing?"

"I am sure she is going crazy. I mean I couldn't imagine what I would do if Jaime called me up and told me that he got a girl pregnant, left her, and now is bringing her and my unknown granddaughter back to see us."

"I would kill him. It would basically be like what Dan had done to Lucas. I would think he would have known better." He got off of the chair. "I have to go to practice. Are you going to be okay here alone with Jaime and Lily?"

"Yes, I will. They are playing in his room right now. I might jump on the piano and do a little playing before I make them breakfast."

"Okay, I'll see you when I get back." He gave her a peck on the lips, took his gym bag from off of the floor near the door, took his car keys, and walked out of the door.

Sighing the light headed brunette got off of the chair and then sat down on the piano. Since she had Jaime and Nathan began to practice with the High Flyers after his injury. She had little time to practice. So this was a rare moment. She opened the piano, and her fingers began to row through the fingers.

She was about to hit a note to make a song, when the doorbell rang. As soon as the flow was messed up, she stopped stood up and went to the door. Of course nobody else was in front of her house, but Peyton.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you, Jake, and Jenny were going to go visit your father on the road."

"We were, but then Jake had to be called back for work. So I am going to take Jenny in two days." Without being invited in she walked through the threshold into the entrance way. "I am not walking in on something am I?"

"No, I was just about to make a song."

"Oh, well I am sorry, but I need somebody to talk to. And you are the only one I think is trustworthy enough."

Haley sighed, because by the pain in Peyton's voice she knew what was going on. "I guess you heard about Lucas, huh?"

"It is Tree Hill. Of course I fucking heard about Lucas!" She screamed out.

Putting her finger over her mouth to shush her she put her other hand on her shoulder. "Jaime and Lily are sleeping. You are going to wake them."

"I'm sorry, but it really upsets me. I thought that I was fine I really did, but it really hurts. The fact that this girl was supposed to be me." Her voice cracked as she began to cry.

This was hard for her. Not only was it hurtful to see her friend like this, but she knew that Lucas was not happy with Peyton. And from her last conversation with Lucas. She could tell he was happy with this new girl. "Lucas still loves you. He always will you are his first love, but he has moved on. And I thought you had moved on with Jake. I heard that you two were thinking about starting a family?"

"We have been trying for months now. I think that I am not able to have kids. Why is it that I am the one that gets screwed over? I did nothing but love him and try to be a good wife to him."

"You still have Jenny, and Lucas may not be there anymore. But Jake loves you more then life itself. You are happy with him, I can tell. Plus, he treats you way better then Lucas ever did."

"Why though?" She cried. "You're his best friend. Did he ever tell you why he did this to me? Please, to get through this. I have to know why he did this to me?"

She looked into her eyes. "He did talk to me once. When I asked him about this. He told me that he really loved you, and he always will you are his first love. But the truth was he thought of you as just a really good friend and there was no spark in your relationship. I guess it was gland."

She tried to hold back a whimper as she was told what he really thought of their relationship. "I guess I was naïve. I could have sworn that our relationship meant more then that. I thought that it was very good."

"Look, now that you know. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him, because if you don't you will hold on to this grudge forever. Then you will never be able to move on happier with your life."

The blond tried to wipe the tears off of her face. She nodded her head solemnly. "Thanks, Hales. You really are a great friend. I hope you never change or have to go through what I had to go through."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Lucas is a Scott and so is Nathan, their father is Dan Scott. The apples don't fall far from the tree."

"Trust me, I think that we are fine." She giggled and patted her high school friend on the back as she led her out the door.

As soon as the door shut Haley laughed. Then she heard the little pitter patter of feet from behind her. When she turned around she felt no body else, but Lily and Jaime in front of her.

"We're hungry." Jaime told him mom.

"Well, I guess that's a sign that I should get breakfast started. Bit you know what would really help get it on the plates faster so we can eat."

"What?" Lily asked with her arms crossed

"If I can get a little help."

"Yeah, yeah!" They chanted energetically as they followed her into the kitchen.

**Luggage Department:**

Karen Rowe had never been more nervous in her life. Not even when she was seventeen, alone, expecting a child; had she been this nervous. So many thoughts were running through her mind. The scariest one was that she would get attached to this kid, and find out that it wasn't her granddaughter. She stood there looking, awaiting. For her son and this new girl who claimed to have had her grandchild to some out. The more she waited the more hyper she became. Part of her was scared that the total opposite would happen. That this Brooke character would be a tattooed out punker, and she would have to accept her into the family. But knowing her son that was impossible, yet with this situation she felt as though she did not know her son at all. The Lucas Scott she raised would have never done something like this. She had taught him about protection since he was old enough to feel urges. Her mind began to wonder as she began to become engrossed in her own thoughts.

"Ma? Ma?"

Was all she heard as she caught out of her daze. She looked up at her much taller son and smiled. "Lucas, baby." She hugged him tightly and could see the girl behind him. Her heart was at ease as she noticed the girl was not a punk rocker filled with tattoos, but a normal girl that looked just as nervous as she did.

After the hug, he looked at him mother for a moment. They had gone over the whole story over the phone, and all though he did get a lot of 'What were you thinking', 'Why weren't you careful?', and 'I thought I raised you better than that's.' He knew that there was still going to be a one on one talk with his mother in which she was going to be extremely disappointed. "Mom, I would like you to meet Brooke Davis."

A little frightened Brooke put out her hand timidly. She was never a person who was good with older people. It was unknown territory to her. The closest thing she had really ever come to a parent was her many foreign nannies. "Hi."

"Hello." Karen said very gently. "I have heard so much about you."

"Really?"

"Yes, my son tells me that you are the really fun type." She gave her a warm smile as she let go of her hand.

"I would also like you to meet Danielle Marie Davis-Scott." Lucas introduced the now awake toddler who was still sitting in her carseat. She was being held by Brooke. "She just woke up so she is a little cranky."

As soon as Karen had seen her, her heart melted away. It was as though love at first sight really did happen, because she immediately fell in love with the toddler. "Aw...she is beautiful." She leaned over and grabbed the little girls hand. "Hello, I am your grandma."

Dani yawned and then used her other hand to rub her nose. Then she looked around at the new sight of the airport. It intrigued her.

"Do you mind if I hold her?"

Lucas looked at Brooke to see what she thought about it.

"You are her grandmother." Was all she had to say, and Karen picked up the little girl into her arms.

There was instant connection between the two.

The Rowe/Scott Household:

Brooke was sound asleep upstairs in Lucas' room. Haley had dropped Lily and Jaime off, when she got an emergency call to get back to the school for a board meeting. The blond man was in his kitchen washing dishes, when his mother came in.

"You do know that we have to talk about this, don't you?"

"I know ma. Where is Dani?"

"She is upstairs with Jaime and Lily. They are playing some kind of car game with her." The brunette walked over to her son and put her hand on his back. "I know that you love that little girl, and I must admit I have fallen in love with her too. It is hard not to, but you do know that you have to get a DNA test done."

"I know, I just don't know how to bring it up with Brooke. So she doesn't get offended." He turned around and looked into his mothers eyes. "I know I might sound crazy for even thinking this, but I'm scared to take one."

"Why?" She took her hand off of his back and looked at her son confused.

"I love both of them a lot. Even though Brooke and I may not be dating or anything like that. I really do have a lot of feelings for her. What if Dani isn't mine? They have grown on me so much in such a short period of time. I don't think I can just loose them like that."

Karen smiled, and hugged her son. "That is the Lucas Scott that I raised." She said proudly as she let go. "And don't worry about it if she isn't yours. You are young, successful, handsome, and smart. You can always find another girl to start a family with."

"I guess, but I don't think I can find one like Brooke." He said as he looked down on the tiled floor.

"You really like this one, don't you?"

He nodded his head yes. "But to bad she is getting married as soon as she gets back."

"What?"

"Yeah, and the dude is thinking about adopting Dani. I told him that if she is mine, which I really hope she is. I am not going to let her go. He is going to have to take me to court and we will battle for as long as it takes. I will not be put out of my daughters life."

"You are such a strong man, you know that right?" Some moments she wondered how she could get a son as good as him.

"I learned from a strong woman." He said back with a smile.

"Mommy!" Lily came in interrupting the mother/son moment. "Dani drooled all over the car that I was racing with." She pouted as she held out the toy to show her mom.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to sweetie. Why don't we wash this off and I'll get you another one when I get a chance to stop by the toy store?" The elder woman said as she went over to her daughter.

"Okay." She said nodding her head to her mother.

Lucas laughed at his sister, and then looked at his mother. He patted her on the shoulder to indicate that he was going to leave.

She nodded her head in understanding, and went back to helping her daughter with her little toy problem.

The blond walked up the stairs to his room to check on Brooke, and to get a new shirt. He had accidentally spilled soapy water on it as he was cleaning the dishes. A little afraid of waking up Brooke, he tried ever so lightly to tip-toe to his dresser, but he was unsuccessful.

"Are you trying to sneak up here and get laid?" She joked as she stood up in the bed.

He laughed at her and then answered with a very convincing, "No."

The young brunette rolled over in the bed and turned on the lamp that was on the nightstand. "Then what are you doing up here?"

"If you really must know I had to get a shirt. I accidentally spilled water on this one when I was washing dishes." He said showing her his wet shirt and then pulling out a new one from his dresser. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I couldn't really sleep. I don't know. I guess it is to quiet for me."

He chuckled a bit as he listened to what she had just said. "Usually people like quiet when they sleep."

"Well, most people aren't from New York. I am used to it being noisy. People talking, ambulances, trucks, buses, trains, televisions, arguing, police sirens, and just the normal hustle and bustle of city life."

"If you want I can tell Jaime and Lily they are aloud to be loud."

"It's okay. I'll just have to get used to it considering that I will be here for a while." She looked at him. Although he had a little bit of rubble going on along his chin and upper lip, he still looked the same that he had when he was sitting at the table at the club so many months ago. And the funny part was he still brought chills down her spine.

"So, we have to talk."

"God, you aren't kicking me out or something, are you?"

"No, I would never." He nodded his head quickly.

"What?" She could tell by the way he said they had to talk that it was something serious. It scared her just to know what it was.

"You know I love Dani to death, and apparently so does everybody else in my family. But I need to know that she is really mine, before I can really start showing her that I do."

"So, basically you are saying that you want a DNA test." Her raspy voice cracked a little bit as she said it. It kind of hurt for him to be asking her for this. It made her feel as though he felt she was a slut.

He nodded his head yes. "We only knew each other for less then a month. I don't know what you did before you left me or after I left."

"I guess I can understand that." She gulped down her pride. "But I'm telling you right bow before you spend all of your money for all of this. She is yours. There is no doubt in my mind. And I would never lie about something like that."

Really not wanting to argue, he just nodded his head. "Please, don't be upset my me asking for this. I just need closure from this feeling."

"I'm trying not to be, but you have to understand from my point of view. It feels as though you are calling me a slut. That kind of hurts."

"I don't think of you as a slut." He had been standing by his dresser for a long period of time. He looked at her and decided that now would be a good time to make a move. He went over to the bed and sat down. He gently placed his hands on top of hers. "I think of you as a strong willed, determined, independent woman. That deserves way better then life has given her."

A little taken aback by what he had said, she quickly took her hands off of his. "Um...I think that I should go check on Dani. She isn't really familiar with anybody here, and I want to see how she is doing."

Clearly hitting a wall, he nodded his head.

"Sorry." She said quickly as she got off of the bed and went out of the room.

He sighed, and then looked around his room. Sometimes he wished that he could have rewind back into time, and redid everything. Then maybe he would be engaged with Brooke, with a happy little family. Instead of divorced, living with his mother, and alone.

**The Livingroom:**

Lucas was sitting in the living room, watching television. He laughed, as Stewie cursed Brian out in Family Guy. He looked at the little girl that was sitting on his lap, and he noticed that she was sleeping again. He kissed her softly on her cheek. It made no sense how a person could love somebody so much. He stood up and put the toddler over his shoulder.

The doorbell rang.

The blond sighed as he patted the toddler with his arm, and then went over to the door. Supporting a sleeping Dani on one shoulder, and using his free arm to turn the doorknob to open the door.

"Hey." A very sad sounding Haley said as she greeted her friend and walked through the door.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He scrunched his eyebrow and then shut the door behind the two.

"It's a long story. Where is Jaime?"

"My mom took him and Lily to the toy store, and she said she was going to feed them. They left like ten minutes ago, so they probably won't be back for a while."

"Oh, and what about that girl. I forget her name."

"Brooke?'

"Yeah."

"She is upstairs trying to sleep. She hasn't come down yet, but I am sure that she is." The little girl stirred in his arms. "Let me go take this one upstairs, and then let's talk."

"Okay." She shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the couch. She began to watch a little bit of 'Family Guy', and before she knew it her best friend was back.

"All right, you so what's going on?" Lucas asked tiredly as he walked into the kitchen and began to make some tea.

"Make me a cup." She said as she sat down at the wooden table. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Well, Brooke and Dani look like they are going to be asleep for a while, and who knows when my mom and the kids are going to be home. So you have a while. Start wherever you want."

"Nathan and I are having problems."

"Like what kind of problems? I thought that you two were doing well. It seemed as though you guys were finally getting along better." He leaned on the counter of the kitchen, his arms were folded on his chest.

"Mentally we are better than we have been for a while, but physically. It just seems as though he isn't as in to me as he was before."

Lucas laughed and then went over to the other side of the table. "I can almost guarantee that my brother is still physically attracted to you. It's just he is tired from practicing, you are always doing something with teaching or music, and Jaime is just a 24 hour job."

The natural brunette shrugged her shoulder. "Then today the emergency meeting that I just went to, it was basically saying that we are going to have to lay off some teachers, and since I was the last one hired. I am going to be the first one 'laid off'."

"You will be able to find another job, and you guys have a lot of money from Nathan's little stint in the NBA for a while. So I still don't see anything wrong with your life. It's just getting a little harder."

Haley shrugged her shoulder. "Anyway, enough about my life. What about yours? How is everything going?"

"So far, perfect. I think that it couldn't get any better. But then again we haven't met Dan Scott and Peyton Sawyer." Those are the two people he was going to try the best to avoid while Brooke and Dani were there. But he knew that it was inevitable to avoid them forever.

"I talked to her earlier."

"Who?"

"Peyton, she is really upset that you now have a daughter. I mean it has only been two years since Cecelia."

"I know, and I think that God made Danielle come here on Earth for a reason. I think this is my second chance trying to be a dad, and this time I am going to do everything in my power to do it right. I really do love her."

"So I guess you are over Cecelia?"

"No, I could never be. She is still in my heart. I don't think I can ever get over her. She is my oldest daughter." He smiled as he said it. He wondered what would have happened of she had never died, more now then ever. Sometimes he wondered if her death happened for a reason, so he could be reunited with Brooke and their daughter.

"You do know that eventually you might have to deal with both of them at the same time. If I were you, I'd get Brooke ready." Haley was dead serious as she said this. As nice of a girl as she was, sometimes Peyton and Dan had a way of bringing out her mean side. Which is really hard to do.

"I don't think I have to worry about that. Brooke is one of a kind. I think she might be able to handle those two all by herself."

His bestfriend stared at him. A smile on her face.

"What?" He asked feeling a little weird.

"You like her, don't you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. Then he nodded his head yes, after deciding there was no reason to lie to her. If he did she would have seen right through him anyway.

"Luke, are you sure that you want to deal with all of this? I mean it is Tree Hill, and as soon as Peyton finds out that you two not only have a kid together, but are falling for one another. All hell is going to break loose." Her voice was stern but sensitive to his feelings.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that. As soon as Brooke gets back she is getting married. The only thing I really have with her right now is our daughter. I tried to make a move earlier and she totally blew me off."

"Oh." Was all she could say. Ever since she had met Lucas he was never like this. Every girl that he ever wanted he got, no matter who he hurt in the process. It was new to her, him getting blown off, and she was sure that it hurt him more then he let show. "I guess she really is one of a kind." She joked.

Right before he was going to respond with a yes, the tea pot went of, which started a chain reaction through the house. It woke Dani up, who began to cry, and woke Brooke up from the mother instinct of her daughter crying.

"I guess our conversation is over." He joked as he got up and turned the kettle off on the stove.

* * *

**A/N: First off I want to tell you guys sorry for the long wait. I have been doing so many things lately that updating my stories have been really hard. **

**Second off I want you guys to know that this whole chapter is not a flashback. I don't know why, but for some reason it won't let me unitalic it. I have tried everything. And I figured you guys would want an update more then me not putting it up because something went wrong when I transferred my writing from Microsoft Word to here. **

**Third and finally, I know that some of you guys might be confused about the ages, because the dates don't really match up. So just to tell you Lily and Jaime are around six going on seven. And Dani is two. Again I know it really makes no sense in real life, but it is a fanfiction you have to have some kind of imagination. **

**Thank you all for reading. And hopefully the next chapter will be up soon.**


	12. The Untold Truths

_____**Chapter 12: The Untold Truths**_

Lucas smiled as he sat at the kitchen table, sipping his espresso coffee. The girl that he was falling in love with more and more everyday had just walked into the kitchen. The only problem was that she belonged to somebody else.

"What are you doing up so early?" A startled Brooke asked as she put her hand over her chest. Then as her heart beat began to steady she went over to the kitchen counter, and got a cup of coffee.

"I couldn't sleep." He admitted as he looked at her. Her brown hair was in a messy high bun. Her face still was breathtaking even without any makeup on. She was wearing a dark pink sleeveless T-shirt, with short pajama shorts. His mind couldn't help but wonder what she looked like without that on.

"I'm sorry. If you really need, you can take your bed back. I have slept on a twin sized bed when I was gigantically pregnant before. I am sure an old lumpy couch won't phase me." She joked as she sat across the table from him.

"No, that's no the reason why I couldn't sleep. I was just thinking about things."

Immediately the brunette caught on to what he was saying. It had been two weeks since she had stepped foot inside of the house. Which meant that the results to the paternity test would be done later on today. "You have nothing to worry about. I am a lot of things, but lying about you being a father? I would never do that."

"I trust you, but there is always going to be something in the pit of my stomach. I guess it will stay there until I see the results."

She looked down at her coffee and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I can try to understand. I kind of felt that way when I started feeling sick. I already knew that I was pregnant. I just didn't want to believe it until I saw the test, and even after the test I still couldn't believe it."

It still pained him when she talked about all of the old days. It was something that hurt him so much. He should have been there when she took the test, he should have been the one to tell her to keep their daughter. Instead it had been Owen who was there, and he was the one who was going to have his family. The only thing he could do now was try to make the rest of what little time that he had. "Why don't you go get dressed?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to show you some of my life."

Her eyebrow arched as she looked at him suspiciously . "This isn't like a trap is it? You aren't going to get me all alone in the woods, and then rape me or something?"

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle as he listened to her. "First off, you watch to much lifetime. Secondly, do you really think that I would do that to you? I mean after all that we have been through?"

Her serious lips made a smile as she thought about what he had said. "You're right. What should I wear?"

"I don' know, something to fit the hot weather. Nothing fancy though, and no high heels."

After getting over her suspicion, she began to get excited. Ever since she had been in North Carolina nothing exciting had happened. All though she loved Haley, Karen, Jaime, Nathan, and Lily. She was tired of them being the only ones to know about her. It seemed as though he was trying to hide something from her or hide her. "Okay, I will be right back." She replied as she stood up quickly.

Lucas laughed again. Then watched as she almost ran up he stairs.

**An Hour Later:**

"Luke, where are you taking me? We have been driving for like an half an hour." She moaned as she looked at him with a bored expression.

The blond turned the car over to the side and smiled. "We are here."

Brooke looked out of the window and noticed that they were in the middle of nowhere, literally. "What are we doing all the way out here?" She turned to him with a confused look in her brown eyes.

"Well, since you are so intrigued by the way that I drive. I thought that maybe I could give you your first driving lesson, and there is no better place to teach you, but in the middle of nowhere." He smiled at her awed expression.

"Thank you so much, but I don't think that I should. I mean I am a reckless person."

Lucas put his arm over the headrest and looked into her eyes. "How reckless could you be? You raised our daughter for two years by yourself, and she is just as smart as any toddler that I have ever known."

She couldn't argue with something so sweet, and there was something about the way his eyes felt looking into hers. His baby blue eyes. The things that made her heart beat go three times the normal rate. His gut wrenching smile, which was the first thing that attracted her to him at the bar almost three years ago. His blond hair that her hands desperately wanted to run through.

As much as he really didn't want to, he looked away from her. He tried his best to do as she asked and not try to confuse her any farther. If she wanted to be with him, her mind needed to be in it. Not just her physical being. He got out of the drivers seat and then opened up the passenger door, sticking his hand out.

She graciously took it to help her out of the car, then she sat in the drivers seat for the first time. It was awkward, for so many years she had always been in cars, but never in the drivers seat. A kind of happy adrenaline rush over came her.

"Wait!" Lucas screamed as soon as he saw her feet inch toward the gas peddle. "First, put on your seat belt."

The brunette did as she was told.

"Then adjust all your mirrors. They are supposed to make sure that you can see everything that the naked eyes can't see. Except one blind spot."

It was as if she was in high school all over again. She was trying to focus on what he was saying, but instead of being her hot teacher Mr. Dawson she was daydreaming naked about, it was him. All though she had all ready seen him naked, and she and Mr. Dawson never had a child together.

"Do you understand?"

She came back to reality. Then nodded her head frantically. All though she really had no clue what he had said, but she was not going to let him know that she was daydreaming about him naked. Plus, she had been watching people drive for years. How hard could it really be?

"Now slowly, step your right foot on the gas pedal."

She did as she as instructed. It took her all of her might not to just stomp her foot right on the pedal and make them go fast. However she had a child to think about at home, and the last thing she needed was to become an orphan.

"You're doing great. Are you sure that this is your first time?" He was truly astonished. He would have thought for sure they would be in a ditch by now. However they were slowly coasting along the road.

Her dimpled flashed on both sides of her cheeks. She felt like she was in high school when she was with him. It was a wonder that she wasn't blushing. "Yes, I am sure. Now stop talking before you distract me!"

He backed off and leaned on the passenger side door. He just looked at her, he has never seen her concentrate on anything so much before. Her eyes were staring directly at the road, however there was still some type of grace with her body. His eyes wondered down to her thighs. The thighs that gave birth to his daughter, the thighs that he never forgot, because those thighs were unforgettable.

She could feel his eyes on her body as she tried to concentrate on the road. In about three seconds if she didn't do something, she was going to ruin her engagement. If it all ready wasn't ruined. "Can you turn the radio on?"

Lucas stopped his gaze and looked at the radio. "Okay." He began to get a little flourished. _Did she see me staring at her? _He thought to himself as he turned on the radio. They were playing an oldie The Jonas Brothers.

_ Ooooohhh yea ooooh yea  
If the heart is always searching,  
Can you ever find a home?  
I've been looking for that someone,  
I'll never make it on my own.  
Dreams can't take the place of loving you,  
There's gotta be a million reasons why it's true._

Her heart began to beat. This song was not doing anything to help her keep her concentration. All she could think about was the way that her body reacted when he looked into her eyes. This all felt so unreal, like an out of the body experience.

"I think that I will change it." He replied as he changed the radio station.

It turned to a country song that neither one of them had ever heard before. It just filled the car with all of the tension in it. You could cut it with a knife it felt so thick in there.

After another couple of minutes, Lucas looked at Brooke again. "You can speed up now."

"That's all right. I think that I am doing good right where I am."

He didn't even bother to argue. "When you hit the end of the road make a left."

"But it's a right to get back to your house."

"I know, but I think that I want to show you something. I told you that I want to show you some of my life. Most of my life I drove, and the other part I played basketball."

"I love that you want to show me your life, but I will be no good at a basketball game. All I know is cute cheers from back in high school, and other then that I am clueless." She replied to him honestly.

He put on a half smile, and then looked at her. "I love the way you try to figure me out, but you are wrong again. I am not taking you to a basketball game."

"So, I might not know you well mentally, yet. But we have a kid together. I am sure that leaves us plenty of time to get to know each other." It tickled to know that she would have a lot more time to spend with him, but it felt wrong. All of her feelings felt wrong. She was going to be married in a month. The last thing she needed was to love two guys.

"Yeah, but then I will have to share you with Owen. Which I am fine with." He was lying to her. Truthfully he really hated the thought of him even touching her or his daughter. It made him want to just kill him. However he knew that it was his fault that she had to run to him. So he just has to continue to lie, and then maybe he will start to believe it.

Brooke came to the end of the road, and made the left. "So, wherever you are taking me. Are there going to be people there?"

The blond looked at the brunette as if she were speaking a different language. "Maybe, why?"

"I know that I am sounding paranoid, but sometimes it feels as though you are trying to hide me or something. Like you are embarrassed to be seen with me."

"It's not that I am embarrassed to be seen with you. I mean damn, any guy would be lucky to have you on their arm." He made that clear before he continued what he was going to say. "It's just that, I don't want you to bump into anybody that might hurt you."

"What? Who might hurt me?"

"Look, I can't always be around you 24/7. And Dani always has somebody with her because she needs to be dependent on people at her age. And I have some people who are not that happy with me."

"Like a stalker?"

"No more like my father, my ex-wife, my ex-father-in-law, and me ex-wifes new husband." He replied looking at her for a signal. He was sure that if she knew then she would want to go home, which meant that she would have to marry that guy.

She stopped the car abruptly in the middle of the road. "You mean to tell me that you are scared that these people would hurt me, and instead of telling me you just kept me cooped up inside of your house!"

"Listen, I know that I should have told you, but I wasn't sure how you were going to handle it." He tried to reason with her.

She took a deep breath trying her hardest to come to terms with what she was just told. "You really don't know me at all do you?"

"Huh?"

"I am from Manhattan. Do you think that a red neck and her new family will scare me? I have lived on the streets and in shelters before. I think that I could handle them."

"So you are not mad?"

"No, I am mad. Mad that you thought you had to lie to me. I am not one of your country girls. I am a woman. I have had to be one since I was able to walk."

"Okay, I get it. From now on, tell you the truth. Now can we please continue to drive? I want to get to this place and show you something, before everybody in the house wakes up."

"I think that you should drive, because by the time that I get there. Everybody in the town might be up."

They switched sides, and without talking again they rode quietly to the place where Lucas wanted them to go.

All that Brooke could see was forest as they entered this unknown place to her. Then there was this big basketball court, and behind it was this beautiful scenery. You could see the sun as it was rising, which hit the water gleaming. Behind that was the towns shopping markets. "What is this?"

"The place where I spent most of my childhood. This is where I taught myself how to play basketball." He said as he parked near the court. "We call it the Rivercourt."

"That is an original name." She joked as she climbed out the car, and went to the concrete court. "How did you find this place?"

"I was walking in the park one day and just happened to come across it. This is what made me. This is where I met all of my friends." He eyed the court with pride as he told the stories from his childhood. It flooded back so many memories.

Brooke went on the court and looked down in the middle. There was some kind of writing. She leaned forward so that she could see what it said. Then as she read it, her heart began to crush. "You were really in love with her, weren't you?"

The blond looked at her with a confused expression. Then he knew what she was talking about when he saw her crouched down on the floor. "That was graduation day. I was young. I thought that I knew what love was."

"Lucas, I have read this before. In your book." She exclaimed as her fingers touched the bumpy concrete floor. The chalk dust getting into her nose causing her throat to itch. All of a sudden she could feel a tear run down her cheek.

"What's the matter?"

She wiped the tear off in embarrassment. "I used to read this little passage to Dani when she was younger. It's her favorite. It makes her go to sleep even when she was at her crankiest."

"You used to read my book to Dani?"

"Not the whole book. Just some parts of it. I guess I started her out on it. When I was pregnant with her, and I felt alone. I used to read your book to comfort me, and then when she came out. She fell in love with it."

"Wow, I didn't know."

"Nobody does. It's kind of our little secret. Not even Rachel or Owen knows."

He couldn't help but wrap himself around her as she was on the ground, one hand was on the concrete, there on the ground. This had been the closest they had gotten, since he had tried to kiss her.

This time she did not pull away, or get mad at him. Her body wanted his, so she just melted in his arms.

"Well, well, well...what do we have here?"

Lucas would know that voice from anywhere. His whole childhood h always wondered what it sounded like, and now he would love if he had never heard it. He put his arm around her securely as they stood up together.

"I'm guessing my son over here has told you all about me."

As soon as he said son, Brooke knew who it was. The famous Dan Scott.

"What do you want?" Lucas spat harshly.

"Just to see what new girl my other son got caught up on. I don't know what it is with you two. Can you not see gold diggers?"

"Dan, please don't start." He warned.

"No, I think that I will. You make a lot of money with your little book, and then all of a sudden your a father? She is no different from the tramp your brother has. Why don't you guys see it?"

"Lucas' money has nothing to do with our child."

"Really, because if he was a bum on the street I bet you wouldn't open your legs for him." His beady eyes went to the girl that had the courage to speak out to him. "Or maybe you are that kind of girl." He smiled as he saw the pain in her eyes.

"You don't know me." She tried top defend herself.

"Dan, get the hell out of here!" Lucas warned again. His arms were slowly being soft and dragging off of Brooke. His fists on the other hand were tightening as they began to ball.

"You know what, I should give you a little more respect then that. Because thanks to you I have a little name sake. Thank you." Half of him was serious, he never thought that he ever was going to have a name sake. Then the other half was sort of enjoying the pain on their faces as they realized the truth.

Something inside of his brain clicked. Only Dan could make his brain click like that. His arms swung against the wind faster then he ever though possible, there was a big push on his fist, and then pain. His other hand quickly covered the knuckles of the hand that was used to punch.

Brooke just stood there frozen. She had never even seen Lucas that mad when he found out that Owen was trying to adopt Dani. She just stared at the cold-hearted man that was on the floor gushing blood from his nose.

"Brooke get in the car." Lucas told her sternly.

She looked at his eyes. Instead of being the soft look in his eyes that made her heart melt. There was something scary almost as if he was possessed or something.

"Now!" He warned her.

That was all that she needed. Before she knew it, she was in the car sitting in the passengers seat.

Lucas looked at the his biological father. To him all he was, was a sperm donor. Taking deep breathes he continued to hold his hand. The searing pain was nothing to him. His adrenaline was pumping to hard, and he was trying to keep his anger under control.

"Good punch, son. I guess my brother taught you something after all."

The mention of his Uncle that was dead, because of his own father made him want to just kill him. But he couldn't. He had a daughter to think about and his mother. They needed him more then his pleasure of his father being dead. "You don't even have the privilege of even thinking about Keith. He is more of a man then you will ever be."

"You are right. That was a low blow."

He chuckled. That was the closest thing that he ever remembered that sounded like an actual apology. "Look, just stay away from Brooke and Dani. They don't need you in there lives to complicate it more."

"And what if I don't? I mean she is my first granddaughter. Wouldn't it be nice if she knew me? You did name her after me after all." He stood up with his nose still gushing blood.

"Brooke was not thinking of you when she named our daughter, and secondly to all of us you are dead. I don't want you anywhere around my daughter. If you as much as step anywhere near her..."

"What are you going to do? Kill me." He asked in antagonizing tone of voice.

"Let's just say if Brooke or anybody comes to me saying that you tried to talk to them. I will personally make sure that you leave with more than a bloody nose." He replied spitefully.

Dan just looked up at the sun and chuckled, he knew the threats were empty. His sons were way more passionate then he was. They didn't have the guts to hurt him physically. Because if they did, they would have done so a long time ago.

Lucas took another deep breath, then without even hesitating he walked in the drivers seat and sped off.

"Your bleeding." Brooke pointed out as he drove faster then she had ever seen anybody drive before. His knuckles had blood gushing out of them. "I think you might need stitches."

"I'm fine."

"No, you are not. Go to the hospital right now! I am not playing with you."

"WHy do you care if I go to the hospital or not?"

SHe was stunned by his sudden anger. How could an encounter with one person make his attitude change like that. The story had to be deeper then he let on about the history of him and his father.

The blond clenched his jaw, then looked at her. His facial expression was still hard, but his eyes softened up a bit. "I am sorry."

"It's okay. I was just worried that it might get infected." She told him. The truth was that she couldn't stand to see him in pain. And since she couldn't help him emotionally, maybe she could physically.

"If you are really that worried, I will go to the doctor." In all actuality since his adrenaline bean to simmer down the pain was becoming more obvious to him.

"You don't have to go for me. If you think that you are fine, then just go home and sleep it off." She shrugged her shoulders to make it seem like she really didn't care. But in her mind she was saying: _Please go to the doctor, please. _

"If I go home my mom is going to make me go to the hospital and make a big deal out of it anyway. So I might as well go with you and tell her about it once we get back to the house." He talked as he sorted it out in his mind, then did a U-turn on the road and headed in the other direction.

"You are loosing a lot of blood." She looked down at her outfit, then tore a piece of her T-shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"Give me your hand." She ignored the question.

He slowed the pace of the car and held out her bloody hand. Then he felt a cottony substance being put over his knuckles.

"Here, this should slow the bleeding until we get to the hospital." She told him as she tied the fabric tightly around his knuckles. Even with dried up blood on his hands, the texture of his hand felt soft. She remembered everything on him feeling soft. Well, everything but his chin when he was unable to shave.

"What are you some kind of doctor?"

"No, I just watch a lot of doctor shows." She looked at him, then looked away.

"What?"

"Nothing, I was just going to tell you something, but you will probably think it is stupid."

"Tell me. I feel like you have been holding back from me."

"Well, it's just a dream that I always have had. To become a nurse."

"Why would you think that is stupid?" He asked astonished by her sudden trust in him to let him know this. It felt like that was truly a step in their relationship.

"I am a twenty-four year old, mother, that dropped out of college as soon as she got pregnant. Do you really think I have what it takes to be a nurse?" Her beauty was something that came natural to her. While other girls were self-conscience about the way that they looked. She was self-conscience about the way that she was academically.

"You might be all of those things, but you are also hardworking, dedicated, and independent. You need all of those things to become a nurse, and then maybe even a doctor one day."

She smiled at the thought, but knew that was ll it would be. "I don't have the money to apply to nursing school. Plus, I will feel old competing against eighteen years olds that don't have other responsibilities."

"If you really want it, then I will pay for it. And now that you have me, I can take care of Dani while you are at school. I will move to New York with you guys."

She smiled, "You would really do that for me?"

"Of course, you had my kid for me. That is a dream come true. Now why shouldn't I make your dream come true?"

Before they both knew it they were parked at a parking-spot at the hospital.

"You should really go inside, I don't think that my cloth can hold the blood much longer, and you are looking a little pale."

He chuckled because he knew that she was right and because he knew she was trying to avoid whether she wanted his money or not. "You are worse then my mother."

She laughed as she watched him climb out the car. Then she walked behind him.

"You can stay in the car. I promise this won't take long. They know me very well in this hospital."

The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "I hate staying in cars. They make me feel claustrophobic." So she stayed with his paste as they walked into the hospital. Unlike New York's hospitals they weren't really crowded. Though like New York's hospitals they smelled like bleach. She guessed all hospitals smelled that way.

"What do we have here?" A male doctor asked as he came up and took Lucas' hand. "Stitches?" He asked as he looked at the young boy.

"Hello to you too, Doctor Mason." Lucas joked as he looked down at the old doctor. The doctor that had been his since he was born, and knew more about his life then most people did.

"Hello." He said as he continued to look really hardly at his hand. Then he noticed the beautiful brunette behind him. "Hello, Brooke."

"Hey." She replied to the man she only met once in her life. The one time she had met him was for him to do the paternity test regarding Lucas and Dani. So it wasn't the best greeting.

"I think I will take Luke in the back to stitch him up. You are welcome to join if you'd like."

"It's okay. I think that I will just stay out here and look around." She said hesitantly, not wanting to offend the old doctor.

"While you are waiting here, I might as well give you the results to the paternity test. We got them in earlier then we thought we would. The nurse has them behind the counter. Just state Danielle's name and she will take out the file."

Her heart began to beat faster. So much had happened in just one morning that she had totally forgotten about the paternity results. She could see the pain in Lucas' face. Not knowing if it was because of his knuckles or the pain of thinking Dani wasn't his. Before she could think of something positive to say the old doctor had taken him away. It felt weird being away from him, like there was some part of her missing. He completed her. _STOP! You love Owen. _She continued to think to herself.

"Are you waiting for somebody?" A nurse asked as she came up behind the woman that she thought looked lost.

"No, I was just wondering...do you have the file to Scott, Danielle?"

"I am sure that I do. Come with me." She went behind a big white area where people were working. Then pulled out a drawer filled with files. She flipped through to the S spot and then looked at D. for Danielle. "Here we go." She smiled as she found it and handed it to the young woman.

"Thank you." She tried to sound happy, but all that came out was pure anxiety.

"I'm sorry to be nosy, but are you Lucas' new girlfriend?" The woman asked as she looked at the young lady again with suspicion in her eyes.

"No, we are not dating or anything like that."

"It's just that ever since he broke things off with Peyton, there has been this crazy rumor going around Tree Hill that he is gay. We haven't seen him with a girl since, and he hasn't been interested in any of the other ones."

_Boy he really wasn't kidding when he said everybody was in everybody's business around here he wasn't joking. _"I may not be his girlfriend, but I do know that he is not gay. Maybe he just isn't interested in what Tree Hill has to offer."

"Again, non of my business. But Danielle Scott wouldn't be Lucas' daughter, would it? And you wouldn't happen to be the woman that Lucas supossedly knocked up and left, would you?

"Um..."

"You know what, I don't think that is any of your business." Another nurse came up and said behind her as she looked down at her annoyed. "Doctor Lawson wants you to go help him with a birth. The baby's heart rate just dropped in the womb." SHe told her.

The older nurse rolled her green eyes, then left the conversation.

"Hi, my name is Abby. Sorry about Rose, she has no family or life. So she feeds off of gossip."

This nurse looked as if she was Brooke's age. She was a light brunette, with blue eyes. A true beauty. Even Brooke had to admit that she looked something like a model. So what was she doing being a nurse. "Hey, I'm Brooke." She shook the woman's hand.

"So, Brooke. What brings you to Tree Hill Hospital?"

"Lucas, he busted his knuckles open."

Abby laughed. "That boy is in here almost every month for something new. He really can not stay out of trouble." She sat down behind the desk and crossed her legs.

"You know Lucas?"

"Yeah, my parents divorced and split when I was seventeen. I moved down here with my grandma. When I first came he was with Peyton, and after they split, we went on a couple of dates. Nothing serious." She shrugged her shoulders. "He was a complete gentlemen, but there was no chemistry. So we both decided that it shouldn't go any further."

"Oh, but Rose over there said he never had another girl since Peyton."

"Even though she may think she knows everything, she doesn't. Lucas and I are both very to-our-selves kind of people. So every time we went on a date, we went out of town where we didn't know people. Everything she said was just rumors. Except the part about you, him, and Dani."

She froze. "How do you know about that."

"Lucas brought you up at one of our dates, and then I looked at the paternity test when I put it in the file. I just put two and two together. But don't worry, as far as everybody else knows. It is just a rumor." She said lightly.

Before Brooke could ask anything farther, Lucas came up from behind.

"Are you ready to go? I know that you must be bored out of your mind." The blind stated, until he saw who Brooke was talking too. "Hey."

"Hey, Luke. Don't be so surprised to see me at my job." Abby replied with a bright smile. She had dimpled on the side of her cheeks similar to Brooke's but not as unique. "I was just having a light conversation with this girl here. Don't worry, I didn't tell her nothing she aint all ready know."

He looked down at Brooke then back at Abby. "Nice seeing you again." He said as he walked backward toward the double doors.

"You too. I hope we can talk again soon, Brooke."

"Yeah, me too." Brooke tried to say but was rushed out of there. As soon as they were out on the parking lot the brunette slammed the paternity papers at the blond. "Here, so you can put all of your doubts to rest."

He took the vanilla envelope. Then he opened up the sandy texture causing him to think that maybe this would hurt Brooke. But he knew that he must know for himself. He took out the white sheet of paper with black typing on it.

"What does it say?" The young beauty asked with her arms folded and a smug look on her face.

"That Danielle Marie Davis-Scott is 99.9 percent mine." He said at ease as he read the paper out loud. All the doubts rushed right out of him.

"So are you ready to fully commit to her now? Because I know you haven't been worrying that she might not be yours." All though she didn't know him that well mentally, she knew that he was not being him around her.

"Sure, but on one condition."

Brooke's face fell not knowing there was a condition. "What?"

"You have to let me pay for your nursing. I really want to do it, for you and Dani."

Her face lit up again. Giggles exploded from her throat. "Sure you can."

He hugged her lightly. Taking in the fresh aroma of her body. It smelled like roses, with some kind of peach flavor. "You are the best girl a guy could ever ask for."

She put her face in his neck. Trying her hardest not to kiss him. "No, you are the man of my..." She stopped herself. _Owen_.


	13. Darkness

_**Chapter 13: Darkness**_

Brooke awoke to her cell phone vibrating next to her. She flipped it open and in a very tired voice said, "What do you want?"

"That is no way to talk to your almost husband. I just called to check on you." He was trying to sound like it was all about her, but the truth was he getting worried. The more they talked on the phone, the more he noticed that she talked more about Lucas than the actual trip itself.

"No, you want to just call me every hour on the hour to make sure that I stay away from Lucas." She replied with an attitude. "Listen, I love you. But if we are going to pledge our love for one another for the rest of our lives, then you have to trust me."

"I do trust you. It's just that I don't trust him. Let's not forget who left you high and dry for his wife only three short years ago!"

She breathed in deeply. "Why do you keep bringing that up! He made a mistake, okay. I don't fully forgive him for what he did, but I don't fully blame him. I should have told him that I was pregnant."

"Yeah, he would have stayed because you were pregnant. Not because he loved you."

The brunette stopped speaking. This was a conversation that had been going in circles for ever. Sometimes it felt like it was never going to stop. Lucas was Dani's biological father. So in a way he would always be part of her life. Owen was going to marry her in a couple of weeks. So in a way he was going to be part of her life. Why couldn't they just get along?

"Men like him never change. For all you know he could have three other kids out there by other women! The only reason he even is pretending to show a little interest in Dani is because I was ready to fill in his place."

"You have no clue about him!"

There was a brief silence on the phone.

"So you are defending him now! What the hell, Brooke. Why don't you just admit that you are catching feelings for this guy?"

"Because I am not." A lie. "It's just that since I have been staying here, I've got to know more about him and he is not the kind of guy you think he is. Maybe you could take a few lessons of politeness from him."

"Get the fuck put of here. I stayed with a pregnant girl and helped her raise her baby. Not out of politeness, but because I loved her. I think that is as polite as it ever fucking gets in this world."

"You know what, Owen. I am tired. I will call you back when I think that I am ready to talk to you again."

"Brooke don't you dare hang-up on me!"

Click.

She through the phone across the floor and then stood up. With the argument still fresh in her mind, there was no way that she was going to be able to sleep now. An aroma of good cooking breezed through the air in the room anyway, making her hungry.

"Hey, Sweetie." Karen replied as she mixed up some salad in a big bowl. "How was your slumber?"

"Good until Owen woke me up." She replied as she sat at the kitchen table. "What is with all of the food?" Looking around the kitchen she saw macaroni and cheese, rice, fried chicken, pasta, salad, and different kinds of subs.

"It's Lily and Jaime's birthday today. We are going to have a party at Haley's house. I bring the food and she prepares the house for all of the guests." She through the salad in a big bowl and covered it.

"I wonder if Lucas is going to let me go."

"He should be lucky if I let him go!" She replied as she began to stir the pasta on the stove. "I still can't believe that he got stitches! I taught him way better than that."

"He did it for a good cause. It wasn't like he hit him out of spite."

"I guess you can say that." Lucas appeared inside of the kitchen with a smile on his face. He hugged his mother from behind, and kissed Brooke on the cheek ever so lightly.

"Why do you always do that? What did I tell you about eavesdropping?" Karen lectured as she continued to cook. "I swear the older you get, the more it seems like you forget how I raised you."

"I am so sorry mom. I promise to act like the perfect gentlemen." He said half jokingly. "So what are we going to do for my nephew and sisters birthday. I was thinking maybe laser tag."

"Our we are going to have a nice family party at Nathan and Haley's." She responded as she turned around and looked into her sons baby blue eyes. "Now, would you please go take Brooke upstairs. I am about to fry some chicken and I do not want anything to pop out on anybody."

He looked over to the young lady and then gave her a smile. "Would you like to accompany me upstairs?"

The brunette looked at the clock and then back at her daughters father. "Sure, it's about time for Dani to wake up anyway. Do you want to help me give her a bath?"

The blonde gave her a look of confusion. "I never have given a bath to a toddler before. I mean when my sister was this age, I was all ready out in college."

"And I never drove a car before. So I guess it is time for me to teach you something." She replied cheerfully in her raspy voice. She took his smooth hands into hers and headed up toward the steps with him.

Karen smiled as she looked at the two of them walk up the stairs. She had this weird feeling in her stomach. Something told her that this one was a real keeper. Not like the first one her son had chosen.

Lucas followed his baby mama as she walked into his sisters room. She was still sound asleep, but Dani was wide awake staring out of her play pen quietly. "How did you know that she was up?" He asked fairly quiet, as not to wake up his sister.

"We have a schedule back home. It's kind of been this way since she was born. She has a great sleeping pattern." The young woman said knowingly as she held her daughter in her arms.

"I learn something different about her everyday."

"I have known her since the day that she was born, and I still find something new about her everyday. I guess that is one of the good things about being a parent. Your kids always surprise you. Nothing is ever the same with them."

He followed her as she went to the bathroom. He watched as she took his daughters clothes off, and ran the bath water.

"She likes it warm. Not to cold and not to hot, but in between."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because after I show you this. I expect you to bathe her a lot more often. I love our one on one time together, but this bath thing takes to much time." She shut the water off and plugged up the drain. "Don't put a lot of bubbles in. I don't like her to have a lot because she is very curious and if you are not careful she will eat it."

"I guess she must be related to you then." He joked as she watched his daughter splash around in the bubbles. She looked as though she was having a lot of fun. Giggles began to escape her mouth. "If I always have to bathe her then you have to do something for me."

"What?"

"Tell me what you see in him?"

Without even saying the name she knew who he was talking about. She shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, I really can't tell you."

"Then why did you say yes when he asked you to marry him?"

"Why did you marry your ex-wife if you really didn't love her?"

"I asked you a question first."

"If I answer your question you have to answer mine." She demanded.

"Deal."

"He was there for me. When I felt all alone, he was there always going through everything with me. When I was in labor, when I was inbetween jobs, and even when I wasn't able to afford for our daughter to have a birthday party. He always came through and made me feel less alone."

He had asked the question, but the answer did truly hurt him. "I was young. When we were getting married I was naive. I thought that we were going to be together forever and that I was never going to change. But as soon as I went out of North Carolina on my book tour, I felt like I was a free man. I finally felt like I was experiencing life and I changed. She didn't. "

She swung her head around and looked at him, still holding a washcloth to her daughters body. Her brown shoulder length hair flipped into her brown eyes. "I did too. I used to really love Owen, but now that you are back in my life-" She stopped herself.

"What? Now that I am back in your life, what?" He urged her to keep going.

"I think that I am not the old Brooke that I used to be. I am talking about going to nursing school, I can picture living somewhere else but the city, and for the first time I am experiencing what it feels like to be in a family. It might be a little dysfunctional, but it's a family non the less."

"So are you thinking about not marrying him? I mean you are welcome here as long as you need to be here. Maybe we can try to make something happen for Dani."

She rolled her eyes and went back to focusing on her daughter. "I can't. I am sure that this is all just cold feet. I really do love Owen. He really does deserve Dani and I. He loves the fact of all three of us being a family."

"Are you sure that you love him? Or are you just trying to thank him for everything that he has done for you by marrying him?"

"You all ready asked your question. We are not on a game show. Why don't we switch places? You can come and bathe her, and I will look over you to make sure that you are doing it right." She got off the tile floor and made her way toward the bathroom door, where he once stood.

He replaced her spot and went over her body with the washcloth.

"Make sure that you get inside her private part. That is the most important part."

"Shouldn't you do that part?" He asked beginning to get a little uncomfortable.

"I am not always going to be there to do it. You should at least try. You and I created her. There should be nothing uncomfortable about it." She folded her arms and looked at him with eyes like a puppy.

"Well, if I am not there then Haley, my mom, or even Lily will be here. I just don't think that it is a good idea for me to be touching there." He looked at the young toddler who was still splashing around. It was still hard for him to get used to her. He was scared of getting close, still not sure if she was hers.

"Are you really going to be this stubborn. Listen to me, I am sure that you have seen a lot of girls private parts. This is your daughters, and she is not fully developed. Fathers bathe there daughters all of the time."

He let out a big huge sigh. Then he washed her private part as best as he could.

"It should be clean by now."

He came out and looked up at Dani. She still was unfazed by this. Her thoughts were to into the bubbles. It made him want to be a toddler again. Something that had made him so uncomfortable, was like nothing to her. It was as though nothing in the world could faze her.

"See! That wasn't so bad was it?" She smiled as she watched him run water on him and then take her out the shower. Her heart began to thud. She had never seen him so fatherly before. It made his model look figures bulge out more not to mention her hormone levels raise. She took deep breathes to try to calm herself.

"I guess not, but it will probably take me a while to get used to." He admitted as he gave his daughter back to her mother. "Here, I think I am going to go see if my mom needs help in the kitchen."

"Okay." She replied as she took her daughter who was in her soft pink towel. Her hair smelled like Johnson shampoo. The smell was so nice when she first got out the shower. As soon as Lucas was out of ear distance she kissed her daughter on her wet hair. "Your dad is so cute."

Dani put her soft hand on her mothers cheek and laughed. "Dada funny." Then she clapped her hands.

Brooke smiled and looked at her daughter. Her eyes lit up like his when she laughed. It made her heart start to thud. These feelings were not going away no matter how hard she tried to hate him.

_The Party:_

All the adults were sipping wine as they watched the kids play in the pool. Haley pretended to be in deep conversation, but in all actuality was watching the kids. Ever since Jaime's almost death, thanks to drowning, she had been very cautious about the pool.

"I still can't believe they are all ready six years old." Karen said as she fed some of her potato salad to her grand-daughter that was sitting in her lap. "It seems like just yesterday that they were born."

"I know." Nathan replied to her as he put his arm around his wife. It surely did feel like just yesterday that Haley went into labor while delivering the class Valedictorian speech. "Speaking of that. Haley and I have some good news."

"Babe, I thought we weren't going to tell them until we knew if everything was final, yet." She replied with surprise as she looked at her husband.

"Well, we might as well tell them now. While everybody is here." He stated as he gave her a reassuring look. "As you all know, Haley and I have been trying to have more kids."

"Oh my god, please don't tell me that you are pregnant?" Lucas asked as he looked at his best friend.

She nodded her head no to reassure him.

"With her busy schedule as a teacher and her music thing it is kind of hard for us to get pregnant again. So we were researching on the internet, and we found this site that will help us become parents without having to wait nine months of pregnancy."

"So you two are thinking of adoption?" Brooke asked as she looked at the happy couple. It was weird to see two people that actually loved each other and looked like they were in it for the long hall. Marriage to her was not so serious. How many marriages really do last?

"Yes, and we found this cut little baby boy from Iran. He was just born and his mom was killed during a raid of terrorists who did not like her religion. We were thinking of maybe adopting him. We know that it is really far fetched, but we have so much. Why not give back to this little boy and in return get the baby that we wanted?"

"Do you really think that would be a good idea? I mean it will be an Iran boy living with a white family. It might be hard for him to adjust as he gets older, and what if he wants to know about his family?" Karen asked as she thought about in the future.

"We have thought about that, and we don't care. We all ready talked to the adoption agency. They think that we would be the perfect match, and we will go to see him next month. Hopefully if everything goes well, then we can have him before he turns three months." Haley said looking around at the uncertain faces.

"Look, we weren't looking for your permission. We were trying to tell you that this is happening, if everything goes well with the adoption agency." Her husband spoke up after her.

"I think that this is a great idea. I mean you guys are doing a good thing by helping out this less unfortunate boy. Giving him a life that everybody deserves to have." Brooke replied as she looked around at the others. They seemed to be coming to terms with the idea. "How does Jaime feel about this?"

"Is is very excited. He can't wait to be a big brother." Haley replied with a gracious smile towards her.

"Momma!" Jaime replied as he ran up to the adults in his swimming trunks. His dark blond hair wet along his face. Water drops followed him as he ran on the cement.

"Yes, baby?"

"Jenny is here. She asked if it was okay for her to some in."

Haley looked at her son with a weird look, and then looked past him toward the back entrance of the house. All she saw was a little girl and two adults behind her. Ut oh. "Tell her sure."

Lucas moved uncomfortably in his chair. Then he took his daughter away from his mother. "Brooke, I think that it would be best if you and Dani left."

The brunette shot him a look of disbelief. "No! I am not going to be run out of a party because your ex showed up. I am tired of this. She and I are both grown adults. I don't understand why we can't just be civilized with one another."

He could see the look of certainty in her eyes. There was going to be no way to convince her to leave. So he just held Dani protectively in his arms. Trying his hardest not to think of what might happen.

Jake came over with Peyton following close behind him. Jenny was bored at home, and he knew that she really wanted to come to the party. So he told her that she could, unaware that his wife would want to come along too. "Hey guys." He said cheerfully as he walked up and shook hands with everyone.

After the greeting his sat down with his wife sitting on his lap. It was a weird awkward feeling at the table. The tension was so thick it felt like it was one-hundred degrees, instead of the ninety-five that it really was.

"So how is everything with the two of you?" Haley asked trying to make good conversation.

"Good, I guess that you can say. I mean we have our ups and downs like every marriage does, but we are starting to really get the hang of it now." Jake replied as he held on to his wife by the waist.

Peyton just stared at the toddler inside of Lucas' arms. How could she muster up so much dislike for a human-being so small was unknown to her. All she could think about was her baby that she was supposed to have with Lucas. That was supposed to be her in his arms. Not the child of some hussy that he slept with while on a book tour. "She is beautiful."

"Thank you." Brooke gushed as she gave a big smile. "Her name is Danielle, but everybody calls her Dani for short." She replied as she looked over at the swimming pool and spotted Jenny. "That girl of yours is beautiful herself."

"Thanks, but she is not really mine." The blonde replied sourly.

She knew that, but she thought that it would make for good conversation. "Even if she isn't her personality is wonderful. I think that you must have something to do with that."

"When did you meet her?"

"Um...I was over here one day and she was playing with Jaime. I talked to her for a while. She is very smart."

Peyton gave out a light chuckle. "Why are you near my daughter? Who gave you the permission to step anywhere near her?" Her voice was a little irrational.

"I am sorry. I just thought..."

"You thought wrong. No matter how much I try to play nice with you, I do not like you. For all I know you might try to get in good with her to come and step to Jake. You might have taken my first husband, but you will not take this one."

Brooke caught her breath in shock. Then let it out and began to defend herself. "Listen, I am not that kind of girl. When Lucas and I first met I did not know that he had a wife, and if you were doing what you were supposed to be doing to satisfy him. Then maybe he wouldn't have needed me."

"And that is why he left your slutty ass to be with me? Oh...wait or maybe it was because he didn't know if the kid was really his." She spit back.

"Girls, please. This is a birthday party. Can you please act like mature adults?" Karen replied as she stopped the bickering between the two.

Brooke held back her tongue as she looked at the woman that Lucas used to be married too. She got out of her seat and looked at everybody else but her. "I think that I am going to go to the bathroom."

Peyton watched as the whore went to the bathroom. She could feel her husbands grasp get tighter around her waist. "I am not going to do anything I promise." She said as though she could read his mind. Then she flashed her direction over to the bastard child that Lucas was holding.

"Mom, can you hold Dani for a second? I want to go see if Brooke is okay." He asked as he handed his daughter to his mother.

"Of course sweetheart."

He got out of his seat, and went into the house to the bathroom where he knew she would be. He knocked lightly. "Brooke? It's me. Are you all right in there?"

She opened the door quickly and hugged him. Her grasp was so tight, she could feel her nails deepen into his back. "I want to kill her! How dare she call me a ho in front of all of those people and my own daughter!" She asked him in anger.

"I know, I will talk to her about it."

"I don't want anybody to talk to her about it! I want to go over and punch her in the face!" She screamed out in anger as she continued to hold on to him as if he was her crutch.

"Calm down. In another hour this day will be over. We will sing happy birthday and she will probably leave. She can't stay out in public to long."

"I have a feeling that this is never going to be over." Her screams turned into sobs. "This is my life, every time that something good happens. Something bad happens to remind me that my life sucks."

"Shhh", he soothed her as he rubbed her back gently up and down. They were so wrapped up into one another that when they heard a scream it caught them off guard.

They both got off one another and then ran outside to the scene. There was nothing but chaos as everybody was screaming and running around.

"What happened?" Brooke asked as she looked around.

"We thought that we saw Dan in the bushes. So we made all of the kids get out of the pool and stand by us. Then when Nathan went to go check, Dani she went missing."

"She what?" The brunette asked again as though she didn't hear her.

"She was in my arms, and when they said they saw Dan, I put her down for a second. Then when I looked at the place I put her down, she was gone. " Karen said as she nodded her head no.

Lucas looked around and then saw bubbles coming from out of the pool. He pushed everybody out of the way and dove inside the pool like he was a professional swimmer. He swam all the way to the bottom, the clorene was burning his eyes. He clothes them and felt something, he wrapped it around in his arms and made his way to the surface.

"Oh my god!" Brooke screamed as she went over to the pool and grabbed her out of his hands.

"Somebody call the ambulance, quick!" A voice screamed from the background.

Lucas got out of the water, his clothes falling off of him. He still had his sneakers on and they were flopping on the cement. He took them off and laid flat on the cold ground. He tried to catch his breath. His chest began to sting. He saw somebody giving his daughter mouth to mouth and then...

DARKNESS.


	14. A Mothers Life is Her Child's

_**Chapter 13: **__**A Mothers Life is Her Child's**_

Brooke stood there. In the arms of the girl that she had just met. Crying. It felt like a ton of bricks had just hit her. Her daughter and her daughters father might both be gone any second, and all she could do was just sit there.

"It's going to be fine." Haley continued to sooth her. Knowing exactly how she felt. Water really must hate the Scott brothers a lot. Only a couple of years ago she was in this exact spot wondering if her husband was going to make it.

This young woman had been saying it for what felt like hours. But how in the hell did she know everything was going to be okay? She wasn't God. If anything like her, she could only hope everything was going to be okay.

"I know that it hurts, because you don't know what it going to happen. But I am sure that Danni is going to be fine." Of course she felt just as helpless as anybody. All she could do was whisper things to encourage her into her ear.

The brunette picked up her head. That was true. Sitting there and crying about it was not going to solve anything. Her body felt a little wobbly from all of the crying. She sat down on a soft cushion that was in the waiting-room. Taking deep breathes to try to calm herself down. She closed her eyes for a second, and when she looked up, she saw her.

"Hi." The blond said very softly to the woman that looked so sad. "I thought that I should come and say how sorry that I am that this had to happen to you and your daughter."

Something took over her. Something that the old Brooke, before Danni entered her life would do. "Don't you dare come in here with your fake ass sympathy!" She spat at her with defiance. "I know that your bitch ass had something to do with this." She shot up like a can of toy worms. Her hands were balled up in tight fists.

"Why would I come here if I had anything to do with this?" She asked a bit shaken by the thought of having to fight her. But this was what she had dreamed for a while. Finally getting the one on one with the slut that took her husband away from her.

"To make it seem like you had nothing to do with it. I know your game. And when I find out what you had to do with this. I am going to personally come over to your house, and beat you ass in front of your husband and daughter." She pointed her finger right at the young woman.

"Why not here bitch? Scared." Her voice came out thin and icy. This was her territory and no woman was going to threaten her and get away with it. Especially not the woman responsible for her all of her heartache.

"You guys, please." Haley said stepping in between them. "This is childish. We are all grown adults here." Being the voice of reason for everything that happened in Tree Hill was starting to take a toll on her.

"You want to know what is childish? The fact that this bitch right here, couldn't satisfy her man well enough. And in order to keep him, she had to get pregnant by him."

"That man was mine first! I had known him since high school. We were meant to be."

"So if you were meant to be, then why am I staying in his house and why do I have his kid?" She asked in the most taunting way she could think of.

That was it! She balled up her fist and took one good swing. Trying her best to reach her and not poor Haley who was still stuck in the middle.

As if second nature. The brunette swung back. Having had plenty of practice in high school with girls hating on her. It was like she couldn't feel anything when they were fighting. Her adrenaline was pumping very high.

Not being able to really get to her face. All the blond could do was go for her hair. Which had been cut shoulder length and was very hard to grab on to. All she could think about in her mind was the fact that this girl had everything that she wanted. And all she had to do was know Lucas for two months. It was so unfair.

Nathan ran up to the seen, putting the coffees down that he had offered earlier to the ladies on a coffee table. He looked around to see if he could find somebody to help him. "Jake. Come here." He asked urgently.

Jake rushed to the mans side as he watched him pull his wife off of this girl who was on the floor.

The blond still held on to her hair as tightly as possible. Even with a much stronger Nathan yanking her off of the girl that she hated more then anything in the world at this moment.

"Get off of my hair!" Brooke screamed in anger. Her face red from all of the physical strain that fighting puts you in.

Jake went over to his wife and yanked the hair out of her hands. This was the last straw. How was he supposed to have a happy marriage with this girl? All she cared about was her ex, that she wasn't loving.

As soon as her hair was released she flung it back. Then stood up on her two feet. All though she did have the advantage of placement in the fight. All that really hurt was her head from her hair being pulled. She smiled with confidence that she had won.

Hospital Security ran to where the scene had taken place. "This is a place to heal the sick, not start a fight." A lady in a security uniform told everybody who was sitting there. "Now, if you are not part of Lucas or Danielle's immediate family, please leave." She looked at the group. When nobody budged she got frustrated.

"I am Danielle's mother and Lucas is her father." Brooke replied still trying to catch her breath.

"I am Lucas' brother and Danielle's Uncle, and this is my wife." Nathan replied as he tended to Haley. She had got a cut from trying to stop the fight before it happened.

"My son is with Lucas' mom and his cousin. They just went out for a bit." Haley told the lady as she continued to reply pressure on her open wound.

The lady looked at the next two. The blond haired girl who looked like she was forming a black eye and the dark haired guy with her. "And what about you two?"

"I am his ex-wife." She replied a little gloomily.

"You are not his current wife?" She tried to make sure that she heard her correctly.

"No."

"Then I am afraid to have to tell you this, but you have to leave." She pointed to the door. "And if you don't I will just have security escort you out." She continued after noticing her hesitation.

Peyton gave everybody a look of disgust. How her life ended up like this? Was beyond her. She remembered the times when it was her in Brooke's position. The times when she felt the most loved.

Again feeling like she won, Brooke sat down. But the fight didn't help her get over the way she was feeling. Her daughter and her father were still in the hospital beds fighting for their lives, probably. She sat down next to Haley and looked at her cut. It wasn't big, but it was deep. "Did I do that?"

The mature young lady gave her a look of dissatisfaction. "Why would you do that in a public hospital?"

"You saw the way that she was getting at me during the party? You can not say that she did not deserve to get her ass beat."

"Okay. But you are a grown woman. Couldn't you have just sat there and take it like the mature one? Why did you have to stoop down to her level?" She asked a bit angry inside. "What if Dani was here. Would you want her to see you acting like that?"

She thought about it. Then nodded her head no. "So I should have acted closer to my age, but I have this sinking feeling that she was the reason Dani ended up in that pool. You saw the way she was looking at her in Karen's arms."

"So fighting her definitely made her confess to that?" The dirty red-head replied to her sarcastically. "I get why Lucas loves you so much. You are crazy, energetic, and loving. You kind of even him out a bit. But there is a difference between being all those things and acting your own age."

A sigh escaped her body. The last thing she needed was to feel bad for kicking her ass. "You are right. I am sorry for that cut."

"It is nothing, really. After giving birth. These cuts feel like nothing." She joked out loud. It was weird to do it with somebody her age. Usually she would only be able to make that joke with Karen or Deb.

"Girl, you do not have to tell me. I swore to myself not to have another kid after I gave birth to Dani." A smile crept along her face. But it soon turned to a frown as the doctor came out the double doors of the emergency room.

Everybody who was there for Lucas and Dani stood up. Karen, Jaime, and Lily came through the 'ENTER' door at that moment. It was like the whole world stopped.

"Hello, I am Dr. Longthorn. I was the one that helped Dani out. Can I please talk with her mother?" An elderly man asked as he looked around to see which lady would step forward.

"I am right here." Brooke replied as she stepped up and shook hands with the doctor. Her breathes began to become short, her head felt light headed, her palms were sweating, and she felt like she was going to throw up. All at the same time.

"Well, she is fine. She swallowed quite a lot of water. You were lucky that she was saved in time." The doctor told her with a smile. It was his favorite part of his job to tell the good news. "However, I must ask. How did she get into the water?"

"To be truthfully honest with you, I wouldn't know. I went inside for a minute. And when I came back out she was missing." She could breathe again. Her daughter was fine. But a part of her was still anxious to see if Lucas was going to make it.

"Did you leaver her outside alone, near a pool?" He asked a bit nosily.

"No! Listen, Mr. I am not a neglecting parent. I would never do that." She became defensive. The one thing that she never wanted people to think of her was that she was just like her mother. Her mother that did not give a damn about her. "I left her with her aunt, uncle, grandmother, and cousins."

"So how on earth did she end up all the way at the bottom of a pool?" He asked the question again in a different format.

"Again, I do not know." She replied again getting angry. All of these emotions were bottled up inside of her. "Can I please just see my daughter?" Her voice sounded weak. The last thing she needed was to fight with the doctor that probably saved her daughters life.

"Yes, you may." He gave up. It was part of his job to make sure that all of his patients were not being abused. But the way that the lady almost bust out in tears to see her daughter, he knew that she was not neglecting her responsibilities as a parent.

"Thank you, for saving her." Brooke replied to him as she followed a nurse that had been quietly behind the doctor the whole time. They went through the hallway all the way in the back. "Does she have tubes sticking into her and all of that?"

"No. She is just sleeping in a little incubator. After she waked up, she should be fine to go home and leave." The lovely nurse replied to the young mother.

"So you do not think that anything else can go wrong?"

"Not at all. Well, she may remember this later on when she gets older. Which will make her scared of water. But physically she should be fine." The nurse stated to a very nervous brunette. "Here we are."

She looked at the pale door. For a second it reminded her of when Dani was first born. They had held her in a room like this after she her body was trying to recover from the birth. Whenever she wanted to see her, she would have to get a nurse to help her into a wheelchair, and make her way to see her beautiful baby. A smile crept along her face as she opened the door. Just like the nurse had told her, she was sleeping peacefully.

"Okay. I will leave you two alone." The nurse replied after checking a clipboard.

Once being left alone her heart leaped out of her chest. She went over to her daughter and very softly rubbed the top of her head. "Don't you ever scare me like that again." She smiled as she said it but a tear ran down her cheek. "I almost thought that you left me for a minute, and I wouldn't be able to live without you."

Dani turned in her sleep.

This reminded her of the nights she would be awake during the end of her pregnancy. Because that little one would be kicking her all night. "You really are my life and no matter how much you might annoy me at times. You are the reason that I wake up everyday and deal with life." She continued to talk to her. After she noticed that Dani might be asleep for a while, she went outside to ask the nurse for a chair. Instead she found the shock of her life running down the hallway.

"How is she?" A mans voice asked clearly out of breath.

"Owen?" Brooke gasped as if she were seeing things. "How did you know to come here?"

"I called to see if everything was okay between us. I wanted to apologize for being a jealous maniac. But when I called some lady named Karen picked up the phone. She explained to me what happened, and before I could even say good-bye, I hoped on the next plane to get here." He told her all in a jumble. "How is she?" He asked again, even more worried this time.

"She is fine. I guess they gave her some medicine or something when they had to take all of the water out of her system. She is knocked out in there. I was just about to get a chair put in there so I can stay by her side until she woke up."

"Oh. Well. I kind of ran in here, and threatened a nurse that was walking to tell me where you were. So I am sure they are going to have the hospital security after me in a second. I was just so worried about the two of you." He told her as he put his hand on her cheek.

She closed her eyes and tried to feel the warmth that he used to give her. But there was nothing there. When she looked into his eyes, there was emptiness. So instead she tried to give the sympathetic smile.

"I love you two. And my life would be nothing without you. I noticed that after you guys left. I can't be without you for one more second. So I was wondering if we could just get married down here, as soon as possible?"

Her voice finally came back. "What?"

"We were supposed to get married in like a month anyway. Why not just speed up the process?" He asked a bit anxious. "I really want you to be called Brooke Penelope Smith." He told her as he took her hand into his.

"Okay." Was all she could say when she looked into his eyes. The love that he felt for her was just so strong that there was nothing else that she could say. It would break his heart if she would have told him the truth. Just like Lucas had broken Peyton's. Maybe they were more alike then they thought.

He leaned in and kissed her on the lips with passion. It had been a while since their lips had touched. But in a few days, they will be tied together by marriage. And he can kiss her freely everyday for the rest of his life, if he wanted too.

"Excuse me. Family only is allowed in with the patient." The same security lady interrupted the two love birds.

"I am getting married to her mother and I will be adopting her as my own." Owen replied to the lady with a smirk. His life seemed to be going right on track.

"Well, that doesn't really count as immediate family, but I guess in this case. I can let the two of you slide. Just don't go slamming anymore nurses into walls and no more fights." She warned the two.

"We promise." The brunette replied to the lady that she had only met twice, and she was sure that the lady was not fond of her at all. "And thank you for being so nice."

The lady gave her an evil glare and walked off. Without even a goodbye.

"What is she talking about? Who did you fight?" It is a long story. I am telling you that this town is weirder then you would think."

--

An hour later,Brooke was inside Karen's house staring at the ceiling in his room. They still had not heard anything about Lucas at this point, and Karen stayed behind at the hospital to make sure that everything was going to be okay. Nathan stayed with her. She and Haley headed back her and are watching all of the kids. Owen had paid for a hotel and would be staying there for the remainder of his trip. There was a light knock on the door. "Come in."

Haley appeared holding a slice of pizza on a plate. "All of the kids have been fed and put to sleep." She told her with a tired looking face. "There is still one more slice, if you want it?"

"No. It's okay. I am not that hungry." She replied with a light smile. "But thanks for thinking about me."

She put the pizza aside on the night-stand. "So I hear there is some good news to be told?"

Rolling her eyes she replied. "Yeah. I guess you can call getting married to Owen good news. I mean it isn't like it is necessarily bad."

"I was happier when I was seventeen and getting married to Nathan. I can see it in your eyes that you don't love him. So why are you about to do the one thing that people who love each other do? Besides having sex."

The brunette stood up on the bed and patted her friend to come and sit down next to her. Once she seemed comfortable in her spot, she looked at her gloomily. "He loves me and my daughter, more then he loves himself. I just don't want to break up with him. What if he turns out like Peyton?"

Haley laughed, but soon stopped after noticing what she had said wasn't that funny. "Well, it is nice of you to have a big heart. But why make your life miserable in order to make somebody else happy? Once he notices that you aren't happy, both of you will be miserable. You should just end it now, so he can move on with his life."

"Dani and I have been his life for almost three years now. It's not like I am ending this thing in the beginning. He really wants to be with me." She argued with herself about this everyday with herself.

"You are right about that. If you didn't love him as much as you loved him, you shouldn't have dragged him along. Because now it is going to take him a while to get over this thing that he has for you. But he will get over it eventually and move on."

"But that is the thing. I don't want him to move on. I like him always being there when I need him. I just wish that we could have stayed friends. But he always told me he wanted to be more."

"That is extremely selfish of you. You will have to tell him all of your doubts before you walk down the isle. Maybe he doesn't love you as much as you think he does. Maybe he is just doing this because he thinks that you are really into him."

"Why are you so mature and have so much wisdom?" She asked getting a bit irritated that this girl was always right.

"I had to grow up fast. I got married at seventeen and pregnant at eighteen. I never had time to be a fun teenager. I wish that I had sometimes though. It was like it is a part of my life that I will never get back."

"It's okay. Being a teenager sucks. You have your parents telling you what to do, you are not aloud to drink, and you are always so self-conscience about your body. I much rather would have liked to skip all of that."

She smiled. "You are becoming a really great friend. If this thing between you and Owen doesn't work out. I hope you can consider staying here for a while. I really need somebody that is my age around here. That is not psycho."

"I don't know how being in this town so long has not made you psycho. Once I get everything situated with Owen. You, Nathan, and Jaime should come up to New York with me. I think you would love the fast paced city life."

"Sounds like a deal." Haley replied as the phone began to ring. She answered it as quickly as she possibly could. She stayed on it for a few seconds and then hung up.

"Who was it?"

"Karen. Lucas is awake, and he is asking for you."

--

Brooke ran to the front desk in the waiting-room of the hospital. "Hi. I know you are getting tired of me, but I just heard that Lucas Scott woke up. And I was wondering if you could just tell me what room he is in?"

"Yeah, he is in room 246." A females voice replied with a smile. "He has been asking about you for a while."

She looked up at the somewhat familiar voice. "Abby?"

The young girl laughed. "About time you realized it was me. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but he does not look so good. He had tubes and stuff hooked to him like he is some type of science experiment or something."

"Do you know what happened?"

"He didn't take his medicine for his HCM. That and with all of the pressure applied to his heart while holding his breath for so long, caused his heart to start beating slower then normal. Which was causing him to loose more oxygen and he passed out."

"What the hell is HCM?" The brunette asked a bit dumbfounded.

"It is a heart disease that is usually passes down from generation to generation. It is completely taken care of as long as you take the medicine for it. But sometimes they forget and the side-effects are hard to deal with. So people don't take it, and they die."

She just stared at her with a look of disbelief on her face.

"When they went to do surgery the heart stopped beating for a moment, but they got it back on track. He was fortunate this time, but with this disease it is really imperative that you take the medicine. I am sure his doctor has given him this speech plenty of times."

"Brooke! There you are." Karen replied as she came off of the elevator to the waiting-room area. "Where have you been? I called the house and Haley said you should have been here by now."

"Sorry, Ms. Rowe. That was my fault." Abby said as she raised her hand.

"Oh. It's quite all right Abigail. As long as you are here now, that is all that matters." She grabbed the young brunettes arm. "I have been trying to calm him down about Dani, but he wants to hear it from you. He thinks that I would lie to him to make him feel better." She replied very angrily. You could tell that it really did bother her.

She listened, but with the new found disease that she found out he had. Everything just seemed to be like it was a dream. First Owen shows up out of nowhere and now this.

"Are you okay? You seem very tired."

"No." She nodded her head. "I am fine. I just need to see that Lucas id okay for myself."

"I am sure that the two of you will need time for yourself. I will be right out here in the hallway if you or him need anything."

"Thanks, Karen. For everything."

"No problem, sweetie." She said waving her into the room.

For a moment she hesitated. A wave of emotions came to her at once. She found it to be an out of body experience. Considering that she never felt this way for the guys she was about to pledge the rest of her life with. Her hand made the way to the knob, turned it, and the door creaked open.

When she looked inside of the room. The television was on basketball. A smile crept along her face, knowing that this meant Lucas was definitely doing well. Her steps became shorter, as she looked at him. His chest was still open with little electrical tubes sticking to them. A machine next to his bed was thumping with the sound of his heart beat, his body complexion was extremely pale, and his lips looked really blue.

"Brooke?" He replied opening his eyes in a weak sort of fashion. Being under the knife for so long had made his whole body ache in places that he never knew existed. Which meant that his anastesia was wearing off.

The sound of his voice made chill go down her spine. And not the good chills either, that she usually gets when he says her name. It was so awkward seeing him so weak and fragile. Her jaw began to tighten.

There was a moment of silence. Where the only thing that was making sound in the room was the television and the machine connected to his chest. The thumping noises drowned away the dull lull of the television after a while.

"Is Dani...Is she okay?" He asked kind of hesitant.

She could tell by the look in his baby blue eyes that he was really worried about her. Inside it made her laugh. Here he was in a hospital bed, after having tons of surgery, and looked like hell; asking about their daughter. Only Lucas Scott would do something like that.

"Yeah. She is fine." She was forcing herself not to smile. Part of her was still so upset with him for withholding the truth about his HCM. "All thanks to you." The last part was said a little lower.

Instead a small smile crept along his face. He could finally rest a bit. His mother had continued to tell him that everything was fine with his daughter, but he knew she would do anything or say anything to make him rest a little. Hearing it from Brooke made everything so much more safe though. He couldn't understand why.

Another silence. All the brunette could think about was his betrayal. It was starting to annoy her, but she was not sure if she could keep it inside of her much longer. "Luke." She said his name in the raspy voice of hers.

He looked up at her for a second. "Yes?"

This whole situation just was making her go crazy. She was about to bring up the HCM, but thought against it due to his current condition. "Owen is here and he still set on getting married."

The sound of the heart-machine began to thump a little louder. The sound of that mans name made his body flinch a little. "I see."

"I thought you had the right to know that I am marrying him here. He is trying to get a church that will do it on such short notice, and to people that don't even live in this state." Still looking at the floor she froze a bit.

"When?" His voice as weak as he had ever thought possible. His baby blue eyes now on her beautiful body.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Soon."

Another silence ensued the room. Before either of them knew it, a whole twenty minutes had passed.

"I think you should get going. I am sure that Dani and Owen miss you." A little envy surrounded his tone with that guys name.

"Owen is at some hotel and Haley is watching all of the kids. I think I might just stay here over night." Truthfully she never wanted to leave his side. All she ever wanted was him and all the time.

"Are you sure? My mom is probably going to stay here with me, anyway. And Haley might need some help with all of those kids." All he wanted was for her to stay as well. But he knew that his body could not take her being near her so long. It made it want her and he knew that she was tied to somebody else.

"Nathan will go and help Haley with all of the kids." She told him.

Lucas laughed and gave up on arguing with her. When she wanted something, there sure as hell was nothing that could stop her from getting it. Which saddened him, because if she really did want him. She would already have him.

--

Karen walked into the room after having her third cup of coffee to keep her awake. Since the party, sleep hadn't really been the first priority on her mind. Once inside she looked at the young girl who was the mother of her first grandchild. "She looks so peaceful when sleeping."

"I know." He told his mother very clearly. His voice had come back to him, but the rest of his body still felt really weak. "How is everything with Lily?"

"Nathan and Haley took all of the kids back to their place. I talked to them for a while. I promised to keep them updated on your condition." Her voice a little calmer then it had been for a while. A breeze went through the room from the window.

Brooke shivered as she was in the fetus position on one of the chairs in the hospital room.

"Can you put a blanket over her?" The blond asked his mother with pleading eyes.

Something came into her eyes as she did what her son asked her to do. "You really care for her, don't you?" A little envy came into her voice as she asked.

"Yeah." It didn't even take him a second to respond to that question. "But she is getting married to Owen. I have to accept that." His voice was directed toward his mother, but it was as if he was telling himself that.

"I have a feeling that you never will." Her voice a bit bored with the conversation. Everybody knew his feelings for Brooke. It was painfully obvious that he really did love her. That is half of the reason why he was in the state that he was in now. "How could you, Lucas?"

He laid there and gave out a sigh. It would only be a matter of time before this conversation would come up. "Please, do not lecture me about what I did?"

"I shouldn't have to lecture my grown ass son about taking his medicine!" Her voice became angry all of a sudden. "You almost died. Why do you always do this to yourself?"

"Do what?"

"Put yourself in this kind of danger? First you save your god-for-saken father from a fire, then Peyton from a school shooting, and let's not forget jumping into water to save Copper." Her hands stood on her very tiny hips. "Tell me, are you trying to kill yourself?"

"No!" He shot back a sound of horror. "I would never do such a thing."

"Then please. Make me understand. Why do you keep doing this to me? Do you not care how stressed that you make me feel every single time you are in the hospital. Why can't you be a normal person, instead of the hero?"

"Because that is not the way Keith taught me to be."

A sting in her heart came whenever somebody mentioned his name.

"And I don't know what made me not take my medicine. I was under the impression that I was fine without them. It wasn't like I had really touched a basketball for a while. I wasn't physically doing anything to need them." He paused. "I guess I messed up. I learned my lesson. I will always take my medicine, even when I feel like I don't need them."

His mother just stood there. She walked up to her baby boy and put her fingers through his blond hair, like she used to do all of the time when he was younger. "I don't mean to be the nagging mom." She scratched his scalp a bit. "It's just that I can't loose you Lucas. If I do a part of me will die right along with you, and I don't think that I can handle it."

He smile widely. His mothers touch always made him forget about everything bad in his life. It had been just the two of them since he was born, and he understood how she felt. "You won't mom. I promise." His blue eyes met with her brown ones.


	15. Two People That Love Each Other Will Alw

_**Chapter 15: Two People That Love Each Other Will Always Find Their Way Back To Each Other In The End**_

Brooke looked at herself in the wedding gown that she had made on her own. It fit her just perfectly, but there was something about it that just didn't feel right. She subconsciencely rubbed the finger with her engagement ring on it. That day that she had said yes to him, she had really meant it. But that day she also thought there would be no way in hell that Lucas was ever coming back. And yet here she was staring at herself in a fill length mirror in her ex-flames bedroom.

"Brooke? Can I come in?"

"It's your house." She replied in a very non emotional voice. Sometimes it felt weird to stay here. In her lifetime she never really had a parent figure that cared about her so much like the lady that walked into the room did.

"You look gorgeous." Karen stated as she looked at the young lady from behind. A bit jealous of the girl she pictured herself in that exact wedding dress. There had been many times she was close to being married, but then something always went wrong.

"Thanks. I made it myself. I had to make it in true Brooke fashion." Her smile widened as she looked at the dress again. No matter how she felt, her dress was really unique. It wasn't fill length like most dresses were, it was cut above the knee. The fabric was puffy and flowery up top, but about midway through it turned straight and silky.

"I kind of guessed. Not a lot of designers are bold enough to put that kind of wedding dress on the market." She continued the small talk. It was not the real reason that she was here, but it was a good way to kind of lead up to what she did have to say.

"You really are a great person. Maybe one day you will be the one whose going to be walking down the isle to marry the person that they love." She edged on kind of smoothly. "I am not trying to say you are lonely or anything Karen, but eventually Lily will grow up and leave the nest."

"I think Lucas will have to do that first." The older brunette joked along with the younger one. "But I know. It's just after Keith my fiance died. I guess I never really got the chance to go looking. I just through myself into work to make me forget."

"It's been years. I think he will understand if you move on and marry somebody else. You more then anybody deserve to be happy." She replied as she finally looked at the mirror and turned to the person that she most respected.

"I guess. It's not everyday people find men like Owen that are willing to overshadow the fact that you have children." She said motioning for her to sit next to her on the bed. "Speaking of Owen, I have kind of been thinking..."

A sigh escaped the young girls lips. She was scared that whatever Karen was thinking would soon have her thinking.

"I mean don't you think this is all happening so fast? One minute you guys are engaged and the next it is the night before your wedding. I thought for sure that you guys would have more time to talk things out."

"We have been engaged forever. I guess it's going kind of fast, but I guess after being engaged for so long I kind of just want to get it over with. We can always plan things out along the way. That had been how my life has been going since I had Dani."

"I know, but sweetie this doesn't just effect you and Dani this time. This effects me, Lucas, Nathan, Haley, and even your parents. They have no clue about Dani's other side of the family. And if Owen does adopt Dani doesn't that mean that I can no longer be apart of her life?"

She sighed knowing that this older lady was right. "I am going to go over there to talk to him about this wedding anyway." She replied as she looked at the dress that she was in. "Actually, I think that I have to be there now."

Karen got the clue and got off of her sons bed. "Can you just let him know that we love Dani more then anything in this world. He should think about all of this family that she will miss out on." She continued to press the issue.

"I will."

--

A very natural Brooke walked down the stairs in her normal clothes. Her short brown hair straight and shoulder length as usual. She was wearing a very high fashion purple summer dress that stopped just before her knees, and cute silver shoes. "Abby?" She greeted surprisingly to the young girl that was sitting on her couch.

"Brooke? What are you doing here? I thought you and Dani would leave now that Lucas is allowed back home." She stood up and greeted the very nice girl with a hug.

"No, I decided to stay longer. My fiance flew up and proposed again. I am getting married tomorrow." Her voice was kind of forcing to be very excited. In her gut there was something telling her that this was all wrong for her.

"That is so good to hear. For a second I thought you and Lucas were going to get together." Her voice a little intimidated by the young beautiful girl standing in front of her. "But then he called me and asked me out to dinner, and I couldn't help but to accept." Her smile grew and her tummy began to feel bubbly.

"He what?" She didn't want to seem so jealous, but it caught her off guard. "I thought the doctor told him he had to stay in bed or something. Why in the hell would he ask you out when he has only been home for about two weeks?"

"I am a certified nurse. He is fine to go out on dates and do everything that you do after dates." She touched her body very sensually. "As long as he continues to take his medicine."

For the first time in a long time the brunette was more speechless then ever. She had thought for sure that Lucas would just pine over her forever and be there whenever she needed him. But he was going on a date with the nurse at the hospital?

As if something was calling him, he walked down the steps in some jeans, a shirt, and some cowboy boots. In normal Lucas fashion. His hair was cut down short to make him look a little younger, and a smile was plastered on his handsome face. "Brooke, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to go out with Owen."

"I am supposed to be over his house now, but I ran into Abby here." Her body was turned toward her but her attention was on Lucas. Her heart was hurting in so many ways then one. It wasn't supposed to be this way though. She was supposed to be happy that he was moving on because that means that she can be happy with Owen. The man that she was indeed going to marry tomorrow.

He hugged Abby, and then placed his hand into the young girls. "Knowing your very overprotective fiance, he is probably calling your cell phone right about now." It was more of a joke, but he was being really serious.

"Yeah, I should go to my fiance's hotel room. You guys have fun on your date." Her raspy voice a little shrill as she grabbed her purse. "But just so you know. I may not be home either." Her jealousy was let out like a monster. It was just something that was part of being her. Her emotions always showed through, even when she was trying to hide it.

Lucas laughed as the beautiful girl that was the mother of his child slammed the front door. Okay, so maybe this was a very high school kind of way to get what he wants, but he thinks that he finally understands the way that Brooke's mind works. She is still young at heart and he was ready to steal her heart away.

"Are you ready to go, babe?" Abby asked as she looked at his face. Something told her that he was just using her, but for some reason she didn't mind. A free dinner did come out of the deal.

"Yeah, but let me go say goodnight to Dani first. I will be right back." He kissed her on the cheek lightly then went two steps at a time up the stairs to go see his lovely daughter.

--

About forty minutes later Brooke was knocking on the hotel room door. Pretty upset that it took her forty minutes instead of the twenty minutes that it should have. But since she was unable to find her way around this place, she had wasted twenty minutes of her life.

"Hey. I was starting to get worried about you. I told you to be here over an hour ago. I was about to send out a search party." He said jokingly but was actually being totally serious. He linked his hands with hers and led her into the hotel room. "Slip off your shoes and get comfortable."

She closed the door behind her, then looked at the hotel room. It looked like any other one, but a little messy considering he was living out of a suitcase for longer then he had planned. "That's okay. I am only staying for a while. I have to get back and get ready for the big day." The butterflies reappeared in her stomach.

A smile rose on his face. "Can you believe that this time tomorrow you are going to be my wife and hopefully Dani will be my daughter? We will finally be happy again. Without anymore interference from anybody else." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

After the kiss she moved her head back a little, then put her hands into his gently. "That is what I wanted to talk to you about." Her raspy voice a little low and her eyes staring down on the floor.

"You aren't having second thoughts about this wedding, are you?" He said trying to search her eyes for answers, but they were to low for him to see. "I mean we can hold it off more if you would like, I know that I kind of sprung it on you last minute."

"No...it's not about that. It's about Lucas and Dani." She said softly knowing that he was sore about this. "I think that she shouldn't be adopted. When I said yes to that, I really had no clue that Lucas was going to pop up back into our lives like that. And I thought for sure that if he did he wouldn't want anything to do with a daughter that he never knew."

"I see." He said taking their hands apart and putting it to the stubble on his chin. "I get that biologically he is the father, and for the past couple of weeks he has been trying to make up for what he has lost, but that is his fault. He shouldn't have just left you like that!" He pointed out firmly. "I was there when she was born, her first steps, her first word, every single time she was sick, and even when she was a baby I always gave my last penny to you to make sure that she had food to eat."

"I know. I really do, but that is my fault." She said getting a little tired of always having to feel like she owed him something. "I should have never asked for any of that. I was the one that laid on my back and got pregnant. I just needed a guy and you were there..."

"I still am here! And I wanted to do that for you and your daughter. Because Brooke ever since the day that I met you I knew that you were the one." He turned to her again and put his hand on her cheek. "That little girl is like a daughter to me. I want to be there for the rest of her firsts. Like pre-school, kindergarten, when she gets her period, and her first boyfriend."

"You still will be. You are going to marry me. She is staying with me. It's just Lucas and his family will be popping in and out of our lives from now on. There also might be a few trips back down here so they can see her grow."

"That isn't what I want!" He finally screamed out in anger. "I just want it to be you, Dani, and I. Like it has been for the past couple of years. This guy just comes into out lives and you expect us to change? That is not the way it is supposed to go."

"If you love Dani as much as you say you do, you would not let her leave this side of her family. She deserves to know about it! It was not right of me to try to keep them away from her for so long. I admit that. After coming here, I have realized that I have made a lot of mistakes regarding my daughter and I. It's time for me to fix them. I am going to go back to college, starting to design clothes again, and maybe start as a nurse. Payback everybody that I ever borrowed from and learn to stand on my own two feet." She announced proudly.

"You are right. You have changed. So much so that I really don't even know who you are anymore. You never want to be touched by me, you seem repulsed every single time you see me, and when you look at him it is like some sick chemistry that goes on other then friendship." He stated with his fists balled up. "I knew that this little trip wasn't a good idea."

"Actually, it was a perfect idea. I finally found myself again. I am not Dani's mother. Or the waitress that can't keep a job. I am Brooke Penelope Davis." Her mind was yearning for him to understand that.

"This is not the Brooke that I fell in love with." He nodded his head no.

"You are right. The Brooke that you fell in love with was a young girl that was pregnant and helpless. But I don't need you anymore. I don't need you to give me money, take me places, and buy me things. What I need is..."

"Lucas." Owen finished the sentence bitterly. "Just admit it to yourself that you want him. That would make things a whole hell of a lot easier."

"Maybe... I really don't want a guy right now period. I want to focus on going back to school and doing something that will make me happy. Something that will benefit me and my daughter in the long run. And to be honest with you, I don't think marrying you will do that."

A chuckle escaped his lips. A dark one that seemed more like an evil laugh kind of thing. He nodded his head no. "Get the hell out of my damn hotel room." He said in anger as he pointed to the door.

"I am sorry. I wish I could have been that girl for you, but truthfully we were never meant to be. You know that just as much as I know it. We would have regretted it in the long run."

"Sure. This is my fault. I should have never fell in love with somebody as unstable as you are. I hope you and your daughter have a great life." The sarcasim was evident in his voice. "Just get the hell out of here."

"I truly did value or friendship." She went over to him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "You deserve somebody that loves you as much as you love them." The light brunette whispered in his ear, as she took off her engagement ring. Taking his hand, she placed it in his very gently. "I am so sorry."

The very buff man stood and watched as who he thought to be the woman of his dreams walked out on him. An engagement ring in his hands. This was not supposed to be how the night before his wedding was supposed to go. He had all ready paid for everything and it was being set up as he watched her leave. Her small hips swishing left and right in a tight skirt that she was wearing. All he wanted to do was wake up from this nightmare. When he came to Tree Hill he had everything, and when he leaves he will have nothing.

Brooke shut the door behind her and let out a deep breath. Tears were running from her cheeks. It really had hurt her to do that more then anybody knew. She rubbed the soft skin of her ring finger without the ring on it. Wondering if she had done the right thing, but before she could even make another choice there was a loud noise that came from inside the room she just left, and the door flung open.

"Wait!" He screamed but was a little shocked to see she hadn't left.

Her eyes looked into his hershey brown eyes. "Yes?"

"As mad that I am right now. I want you to know that no matter what, I will always love you and Dani." He said on the brink of a breakdown. "You guys really are everything that any guy would be lucky to have."

Her heart began to ache wondering if she was making the right decision. Her life had been a big handful of those. Maybe this whole chemistry that people see with her and Lucas was just fictional. Did she really want to go back to a guy that left her for his ex-wife? Then she remembered something. Something that was so minor that it had almost slipped her mind.

_Flashback: _

_Brooke turned into the arms of a very naked Lucas. They had just finished making love to one another. The fan above her room was making clinking sounds and the sounds of sirens, people talking, and the honking of cars were emerging through the windows of her city apartment building. _

_"Are you awake?" The blonde boy asked his very sexy fling. His heart was beating faster then his doctor would probably like to know. His body was aching for more of her, but his mind just wanted some intellectual conversation._

_"Mhmm." She said very seductively as she put her head on his bare chest. Listening to his heart beat really fast. _

_He looked down at her. Her beautiful brown hair was in a mess and over the place from their actions earlier. She had no make-up on but she was still so beautiful. Her eyes were gleaming and her body was glistening. _

_She met his baby blue eyes with her light brown ones. "What's the matter? You seem to always be brooding. I mean even after we have breathtaking sex you are always blah." _

_"Nothing." He laughed. "And have you ever thought that maybe you are just a bit to cherry. Every single time something happens you are smiling and laughing. But don't get me wrong. I love the way that you do that."_

_A smile appeared on her face just for him. Her dimples showing and everything. She kind of lifted her body up to kiss him lightly, then laid back down on his chest. Feeling kind of tired. _

_"Brooke?" _

_"Yes?" _

_"Do you think that two people that are always fighting, arguing, and can never get along should be with one another?" He asked kind of out of the blue. Switching the mood to serious in his normal brooding fashion. _

_"I think that people who love each other will always find their way back to each other in the end..." _

That was it! That little sentence that was said by her was the thing that made all the difference in her. Fait just came knocking when she ran into Lucas whole waiting at the bus stop that day. If she hadn't of gotten fired, then she would have never ran into him again. And everything would be the same with her and Owen. "Thank you." She said absentmindedly.

"And I want you to also know. I will be sending you a bill of all the things that I have paid for over the past couple of years. Including food, and the furniture in your apartment will be gone when you go back home."

She knew that he was being to nice. There had to be some bitter feeling toward her. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She replied with a smile just to get to him. Then rushed off to go back to the house.

--

Lucas was sitting down on the couch, wine in one hand, and a champagne glass in the other. His date with Abby didn't go as well as planned. All he could talk about was Dani and when he kissed her he accidentally said Brooke's name. So she kind of told him off. He poured the glass to the top, then rubbed his head with his fingers. Wondering how in the hell did his life become so complicated?

The door opened and slammed quickly as Brooke ran into the room. She greeted Lucas with a smile, then ran up the stairs into his room. This was something that she had meant to do a long time ago, but the timing just seemed right at this moment. She went underneath his bed and pulled out a box. Then went back down the stairs to where he was sitting gulping down wine.

He looked at her kind of weird. "What are you holding in your hands?"

She placed the box down on the table without answering. "I went to go see Owen today as you know..."

"Let me guess, you two previewed what was to come on the honeymoon?" He asked a bit bitter about the way that he had what Lucas wanted.

"No. I told him that it is time for me to be independent. My whole life I have played the victim. Did I have good right too? Some might say that I did. But I always needed a man to save me and I don't need that anymore. I need to fix my life. So that my daughter can grow up knowing that she doesn't need a man to complete her."

"So?"

"So the wedding is off. I never really cared for Owen. He was just a guy that was extremely nice when I needed a guy. And he was there when I was really horny for okay sex. But other then that there was no spark."

He put the glass of champagne down and looked at her with interest now. "So what does that have to do with the box?"

"Remember when you asked me how do you know when two people are meant to be together? After we had sex one time during our very brief fling." She asked trying to tie everything together.

"Of course. I remember everything about what we had." He said so confused it wasn't funny. "What does that have to do with you being independent?"

"I finally realized that Owen is not the right one for me because you entered my life all over again by pure luck. Faith brought us together and faith also brought us that little girl that is sleeping upstairs to keep us closer." She said trying to piece it together in her mind. "Lucas Scott you are the guy for me. Not Owen or any other guy. Just you."

He stood there with his mouth wide open thinking that this was all a dream. "But I thought you wanted to be independent?" He said feeling a little dumbfounded.

"This box on the table is filled with letters. Letters that I wrote and addressed, but was to much of a chicken to mail out. They are all addressed to you." She said handing him the box. "Every single day that we were apart I thought about you and how our life could have been. Mostly it's about how much Dani looks like you. Owen and I never really started because you and I never really ended."

He looked at the box, then looked at her. "I drunk myself to death and this is heaven, right?" He asked feeling a little over tipsy.

"No, but I have to be honest with you. I really don't want to be married or anything. Just maybe a relationship would be nice. I really want to focus on school and everything else. I need to know that I can do something by myself."

Lucas got up and walked into the kitchen, then took an envelope out that had Brooke's name on it in bold script. "Since we are exchanging gifts, I guess I should give you this." He said handing her the envelope.

"What is it?" She asked as she looked at it with a little wonder in her eyes.

"Open it up and find out." He said as he watched her open it and her eyes widen.

She pulled out a wad of money that was just standing in her hands. "I can not take your money." She nodded her head no and tried to give it back to him. "I owe many people all ready. I will just take a loan from the bank to go back to school."

"Think of it this way. That is my backed up child-support that I owe you. You have been taking care of my daughter wonderfully without me. You have also been trying to get out under Owen's wing forever. I will make sure you pay him back every penny that you owe him so that he can't keep you in check. And you use that money to go back to school to become a nurse. And you can do designing on the side."

A tear ran down her cheek. She placed the money down on the table next to the wine. Then went over to him. "You know this is not going to be easy. Us dating? Peyton and Owen will not make it easy."

He pulled her by the hand down in front of him. Scanning her body up and down. "I don't care. I feel like when I am with you, I can tackle the whole world." He tilted his head to the side, then kissed her barely on the lips. "I love you, Brooke. And I have ever since the day that we have crossed paths in that restaurant."

That felt like ages ago that she saw this southern boy in the restaurant that was was working in. "I love you too." She smiled just like he loved and then kissed him lightly some more.

Their tongues intertwined as they began to become more passionate. Their bodies had wanted to do this ever since they had come into contact with one another for the second time. The angst and the build up was making their hearts ache.

She let up from him for a while. "Are you sure that you are able to do this so soon after you left the hospital? I don't want to kill you or anything right after we finally get together."

"If you don't do something with me. You will kill my body anyways." He said with a smile. "I am sure that it is fine. My mom is sleeping and Dani and Lily are watching television in the room. This is going to be one of the only times we are actually going to have this opportunity."

A shrug escaped her shoulders, and she began to kiss him some more. This time with any remorse. They barely made it up the stairs with all of their clothes on. Articles were spread out all over the living room and up the stairs. They didn't care that Karen was going to kill them when she finds them in the morning. All they cared about was the fact that they were finally together. The way it was supposed to be, the way it was meant to be.

Brooke Penelope Davis and Lucas Eugene Scott will always find their way in the end. No person or amount of time will ever stop the chemistry that they have with one another.

--

A/N: So this was the ending. Sorry, if it felt quick and unexpected. But I think that is the way that their relationship was always. They were always at the last moment unexpected. And I have no clue what Mark was thinking. But I still think Brucas is endgame. Peyton never really had any chemistry with Lucas to me. They bored the hell out of me. But that is just my opinion. There will be an Epilogue to answer a lot of questions that are probably left in your minds. Then that will be the end of this story. Thank you for reviewing.

Eemah


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